BJP gets Maya to hear, expansion is off

While BJP leaders ‘‘convinced’’ Mayawati not to go ahead with it, she also did a major turnaround on providing free books to only backwards and girls.

She has decided now to give free text-books upto primary level to all students and not only to Dalits and girls as decided earlier.

Officially, it was given out that both sides had agreed to defer expansion till after the budget session beginning August 8.

But the fact remains that it was BJP leaders themselves who persuaded her not to go ahead with the expansion because ‘‘it would lead to resentment within the BJP rank and file’’.

‘‘We have decided not to go for expansion before the budget session.

The exercise will be completed in one go after the session ends,’’ Katiyar said in yet another instance of BJP leaders having to eat their own words.

Incidentally, it was the BJP which first raised the demand for expansion but at the final stage, it was Mayawati who had the last laugh by announcing on on Saturday that the expansion would take place on August 1.

‘‘Now our leaders will be in the firing line of party MLAs as they raised the issue,’’ said a senior party leader on condition of anonymity.

In fact, no state BJP leader is game for expansion. The two ministers, Om Prakash Singh and Lalji Tandon, know that expansion would trim the number of departments being held by them at present.

They hold 32 departments between themselves and expansion is bound to cut the number.

Rajnath Singh is disinterested as it keeps BJP MLAs agitated and he can use it to convey the message to the party leadership that the tie-up with BSP is costing the BJP dear.

To save face, BJP leaders have begun accusing Mayawati of going back on her decisions.

‘‘She announced that the expansion will take place on August 1 and reversed the decision a day later,’’ they pointed out.

In yet another reversal of decision, Mayawati also announced that text books would be given free to all students upto class V in government schools.

‘‘My government will bear the burden of free distribution by cutting expenses of other departments.

Though the Centre says that free distribution should be only for Dalits and girls but my government cares for all sections which is reflected in the decision to make it free for all,’’ she claimed.