Conflict in U.P. BJP over RS seat nominee

By J.P. Shukla

LUCKNOW, MAY 26. The Uttar Pradesh BJP election committee today failed to resolve the conflict over selection of the party nominee to contest the byelection for the Rajya Sabha seat vacated by the Chief Minister, Mr. Rajnath Singh. The committee discussed various names and authorised the State party unit chief, Mr. Kalraj Mishra, and the Chief Minister to jointly decide the issue and send their recommendations to the party president, Mr. Jana Krishnamurthy, for his final decision.

A BJP spokesman said that after the meeting that about a dozen names were discussed but the final decision was left to the two leaders who are reported to have conflicting views on the nomination of the party candidate. While the Chief Minister favours Mr. Surendranath Awasthi, former Congress MLA who vacated his Hydergarh Assembly seat to enable him (Mr.Singh) to enter the legislature through a byelection, the State party president is opposed to the idea on the ground that it would create a ``bad precedent.''

Publicly, Mr. Singh had taken the position that there was no deal between him and Mr. Awasthi over the vacation of the Hydergarh seat. But insiders said that Mr. Singh had had an understanding that Mr. Awasthi would be rewarded with the Rajya Sabha seat for his ``sacrifice''. The State BJP president has not taken the understanding kindly as, according to him, this amounts to undue interference in organisational matters by the Chief Minister and that too for personal reasons. It is argued that several BJP MLAs were ready to vacate their seats for Mr. Singh and that there was no reason for him to enter into such a deal with an Opposition MLA.

To the chagrin of both Mr. Singh and Mr. Awasthi, one of the names discussed today was that of Mr. Sunderlal Dixit, former BJP MLA from Hydergarh and an arch rival of Mr. Awasthi. Both Mr. Awasthi and Mr. Dixit had campaigned for Mr. Singh in his byelection with equal visibility. And if it comes to have a selection between the two, it would be between ``an old party loyalist'' and a ``selfish turn-coat.''

The name of Mr. Kalraj Mishra, who was not an applicant for the ticket for the byelection, was also discussed. The inclusion of his name in the list of likely candidates is considered another attempt to sabotage Mr. Awasthi's case, say rivals. The Loktantrik Congress Party (LCP) has repeatedly expressed itself in favour of nominating Mr. Mishra, who, its leader, Mr. Naresh Agarwal, said was the fittest candidate. The LCP has been pleading that the BJP could not take its support for granted and that its opinion must be sought for.

The names of Mr. Satyadeo Singh and Mr. Sanjay Singh were also considered. Both of them are Thakurs and Mr. Rajnath Singh might face considerable problems, if he tries to reject their claims. His supporters, however, feel that any promise made by him to Mr. Awasthi must be respected.

They also argue that Mr. Kalraj Mishra alone could not be given the responsibility to the run the organisation. The Chief Minister is responsible for running the Government and he has to play an important political role to maintain the balance of power, especially during a phase when the BJP fortunes depend on the support of other parties to its Government.

The idea is resented by the other lobby which feels the Chief Minister better remain within his confines and not try to encroach upon the functioning of the party head.

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Section  : National
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