Paswan, Sharad Yadav planning unity moves?

By K. Balchand

PATNA, SEPT. 5.The Coal and Mines Minister, Mr. Ramvilas Paswan, and the Union Labour Minister, Mr.Sharad Yadav, are all set to bury their differences and usher in a fresh realignment of forces ahead of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.

Mr. Paswan, who arrived here today to attend a function of the Telecommunications Department decided prior to his eviction from this Ministry, admitted that Mr. Yadav had telephoned him. He saw no objection in opening a dialogue over the need to reunite again.

Mr. Paswan and Mr. Yadav had parted company almost a year ago with the former quitting the Janata Dal (United), of which the latter is the president, and floated the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP). He denied, however, that his talk with the NDA convener, Mr. George Fernandes, on the day of the reshuffle last Saturday was in this connection. According to Mr. Paswan, he was sounded of the change in his portfolio by Mr. Fernandes after the Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee, took him into confidence over the issue.

Mr. Paswan scotched rumours that he was affected by the change in his portfolio, though he conceded that it was natural for his supporters and party functionaries to be upset over his sudden transfer from the Telecommunications Department. He indirectly blamed the private cellular operators for the change in his portfolio.

Mr. Paswan took pains to highlight the action he had initiated to bring down mobile phone rates to the present levels despite the pressure the private operators sought to put on the government. The losses to these houses, he estimated, were to the tune of Rs. 25,000 crore.

The LJP leader denied that he was attempting to form a separate pressure group within the NDA by seeking to forge unity with the JD(U). He saw no reason to attach a political angle to the invitation he had extended to the Union Minister of State for Railways, Mr. Digvijay Singh, and other Samata Party MPs allegedly opposed to the Union Railway Minister, Mr. Nitish Kumar, and the expelled RJD MP, Dr. Ranjan Prasad Yadav, to the function in connection with the release of a stamp in the memory of veteran freedom fighter, Jagdeo Prasad.

Mr. Paswan said his new assignment was a challenge to convert loss-making units into profitable ones without retrenching any of the seven lakh employees employed in the coal sector.

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