60 Samata members go back to Cong

Talking to newspersons here, the two leaders said the Samata Party had deviated8217; from its avowed principles and policies and charged Defence Minister George Fernandes with saffronising8217; the party. They alleged that Fernandes, being the national president, was maintaining an eerie silence8217; over sensitive issues like the mounting atrocities on Christians and spiralling prices and had reduced the organisation to a yes party8217; of the Bharatiya Janata Party.

They said the Atal Behari Vajpayee-led coalition government at the Centre and the Samata leadership had 8220;failed8221; to abide by their commitment to dismiss the Rabri Devi Government in the State. The people had high hopes that the BJP-Samata combine would rid the state of the 8220;misrule8221; of the Rashtriya Janata Dal Government and hold fresh elections under President8217;s Rule, they added.

The two leaders alleged that the BJP leadership was more interested in the formation of a separate state of Vananchal and the Samata leadership, in the Defence and Railway ministries than the welfare of the State.

Toni and Mishra said the Samata leadership had lost its legitimacy. The people resented the hike in prices of essential commodities in the public distribution system, urea and cooking gas, besides the atrocities being perpetrated on the minorities, particularly Christians.

They said that the party leadership8217;s attitude towards a special economic package for rest of Bihar in case of the formation of a separate State of Vananchal was 8220;lackadaisical8221;.

Toni and Mishra released a list of supporters who reportedly severed their association with the Samata Party.