BJP rebels climb down in UP

Ramasheesh Rai, spokesman for the rebel-body Bhajpa Bachao Samiti, said the memorandum would demand the removal of Urban Development Minister Lalji Tandon from the BJP legislature party leadership, withdrawal of all party members from the Mayawati ministry and an end to the victimisation of MLAs. As for the Rajya Sabha elections, Rai said they may vote according to their conscience.

Asked how long would they wait for an intervention by the central leadership, Rai said: ‘‘We can wait till the Rajya Sabha elections are over.’’ On the plan to set up a new party, he said: ‘‘We have decided to give the high command one more chance.’’

BJP sources claimed that thin attendance — half a dozen, they said — at the rebels’ meeting today had dampened their spirits. Rai said 19 rebels had come.

BJP leaders discounted the possibility of an assembly dissolution ‘‘at this stage”. The talk of fresh polls by CM Mayawati was mere posturing to tell the MLAs that they had to choose between her and fresh polls.

Mayawati tonight ruled out any expansion of her ministry to mollify the dissidents. The Chief Minister’s crackdown on Independents continued. Forty-one supporters of mla Raja Bhaiyya were booked under the Gangsters Act, police said in Pratapgarh.

Rai met Union Coal and Mines Minister Uma Bharati on her way back from Ayodhya at Lucknow and apprised her of their grievances. Rai said she ‘‘expressed surprise over certain developments within the party and assured their feelings would be conveyed to the central leadership’’.

Despite the apparent climbdown by rebels, the BJP played safe and announced only two nominees — central general secretaries Rajnath Singh and Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi — for the Rajya Sabha polls.

Meanwhile, the Opposition kept up the pressure. Azam Khan, Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, announced dharnas on November 11 in every district, demanding that a session of the House be convened.