Gupta hits back as rebels keep up attack

LUCKNOW, OCT 15: With the dissent against him showing no signs of abating, Chief Minister Ram Prakash Gupta seems to be hitting back with ...

LUCKNOW, OCT 15: With the dissent against him showing no signs of abating, Chief Minister Ram Prakash Gupta seems to be hitting back with a vengeance.

In recent days, he has dealt strongly with two of his severest critics in the party 8212; Urban Development minister Lalji Tandon and state party president Kalraj Mishra. In two days, chairmen of three municipal corporations were transferred without Tandon8217;s knowledge. Tandon was also not informed of the change in dates of municipal corporation elections made by the Cabinet.

After consulting Tandon, Commissioner Yashpal Singh had declared the dates of the municipal elections. But on Wednesday, a suggestion for a change in dates was made in the Cabinet, and the minister was never notified about this. Tandon says: 8220;The Election Commissioner declared the dates after consulting me, but I had no idea about the suggestion that came up in the Cabinet for change of dates.8221;

Gupta, in fact, has been lately taking several decisions on his own without consulting partymen, unlike earlier. Last week, Chairman of the State Fisheries Department Laxman Acharya was removed from office and on Thursday, Chairman of the Essential Commodities Department Rajendra Tiwari was meted out the same treatment. Now it is reportedly the turn of the Chairman of the Forest Department.

Vidhan Sabha Chairman and vice-president of the Rajya Hindi Sansthan Kesari Nath Tripathi is angry with Gupta over the appointment of Arun Singh as the director of the sansthan. During Kalyan Singh8217;s chief ministership, Arun Singh had been removed on Tripathi8217;s advice, but Gupta appointed him back despite apparently two letters written by Tripathi.

Asked about Gupta8217;s large-scale transfers of chairmen of departments, a disgruntled Kalraj Mishra openly remarks: 8220;I can8217;t say anything as he never took my consent on any of these issues.8221;

Last week, Gupta also worsened relations between him and Mishra by dividing the PWD and Education Departments, which were under Mishra before his resignation, without talking to the latter. Lalji Tandon expressed his displeasure at the move too. The only one who seems to have benefited is Om Prakash Singh, who holds the Irrigation, PWD and Education portfolios and who may have become one of the most powerful ministers in the state after the division.

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Incidentally, on Friday, Om Prakash took on the Centre, criticising the Central Government for its decision to hike petroleum prices and warned that it would affect the municipal elections to be held next month. 8220;The BJP could even lose elections this time,8221; he predicted.

His attack on the Centre is significant as Gupta8217;s detractors are apparently waiting for Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee to join office after his surgery to take any action. The Prime Minister8217;s Office has been expressing concern at the deterioration of the law and order situation in the state over the past few days, and this couldn8217;t have thrilled the chief minister.