DUE TO efforts of senior BJP leaders, particularly, Rajnath Singh and Kalyan Singh, decks seem to be clearing for smooth re-induction of expelled BJP leader Uma Bharti into the party fold. What is being chalked out is a face-saving device suited to both warring groups led by Uma and her detractors in the BJP for a smooth re-induction of Uma Bharti into the party.
National BJP vice-president once again reiterated on Sunday that Uma Bharti’s return to the party was quite possible as she was a strength to the saffron brigade and was committed to basic policies and philosophy of the party. On the other side, Uma also relented and said at Mirzapur yesterday that she was willing and ready to join the party, provided Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Lal Krishna Advani discussed various issues, including role of a coterie within the party, which led to unsavoury situation and her expulsion from the party.
She announced that her Janadesh Yatra was ‘non-political’ and invited Rajnath Singh and other senior leaders to participate in the yatra which begins on Monday.
A senior party leaders confirmed that behind the curtain efforts of both pro and anti-Uma Bharti camps had succeeded and she would be taken back to the party fold in such a manner that nobody felt ignored and insulted in the process.
In fact, he admitted, neither could Uma afford to leave the BJP nor the party, facing serious political challenges and crisis, particularly in Uttar Pradesh, was in a position to replace Uma by any other backward leader of her stature and mass appeal.
Meanwhile, the second phase of BJP’s Nyaya Yatra ended at Bareilly on Sunday.
Addressing public meetings at Moradabad, Rampur and Bareilly during the Yatra on Sunday, national general secretary of the BJP Vinay Katiyar strongly condemned the Central government’s decision of importing wheat and dubbed it as stabbing the farmers in the back, who would have no option but to sell their produce at throw away price because the imported and the local wheat crop would reach the market almost simultaneously.
Meanwhile, the second phase of BJP’s Nyaya Yatra ended at Bareilly on Sunday.
Addressing public meetings at Moradabad, Rampur and Bareilly during the Yatra on Sunday, national general secretary of the BJP Vinay Katiyar strongly condemned the Central government’s decision of importing wheat and dubbed it as stabbing the farmers in the back, who would have no option but to sell their produce at throw away price because the imported and the local wheat crop would reach the market almost simultaneously.
Demanding a minimum support price of Rs 750 per quintal for wheat, Katiyar lamented that Mulayam government was least bothered about farmers, who were being forced to buy fertilizer, seeds, diesel and other necessary input at exorbitant prices.
The Mulayam government was working for the ‘progress and development of a few selected industrialist friends of Amar Singh’ while the State was languishing and people were facing hardships due to acute shortage of water, power and employment.
Mafia were calling the shots and the police were a moot spectator at the behest of the Samajwadi Party leaders, who were indulging in land grabbing and all kind of anti-social activities with impunity, he observed.
Speaking on the occasion, leader of the Opposition Lalji Tandon sought clarification from Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav on his alleged ill-gotten money and properties.
He said that people had a right to know the source of such huge properties earned by Mulayam and his kith and kin in no time.
Meanwhile, State BJP spokesman Hirdya Narain Dixit today termed the Meerut communal violence as a result of Mulayam government’s communal policies and said that the chief minister was openly providing shelter to communal elements for petty political gains.