NEW DELHI, OCT 7: Possibility of a rebellion by the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Kalyan Singh and his supporters has prevented the Central BJP leaders from taking any action against him.Singh's dubious role during campaigning is being considered as a major reason for BJP's debacle in UP and his head seems to be on the line with senior BJP leaders from the State landing up in Delhi on Thursday.``Kalyan Singh will stay as Chief Minister irrespective of BJP leaders' wishes,'' claimed a three-time BJP MP who was denied a ticket this time. Another Kalyan loyalist claimed both Samajwadi Party (SP) and Congress had already promised support to Kalyan Singh if he walks out of the BJP and any move of BJP leaders to ease him out of Chief Minister's chair would only backfire on the party.In such a situation, Kalyan would enjoy support of 134 SP legislators (including 11 who aligned with the Congress during Lok Sabha elections), 15 Congress MLAs besides 20 Loktantrik Congress, 24 Jantantrik BSP, three JD (R) and few independent MLAs. Even if Kalyan manages to lure only one third BJP MLAs (59 out of 176), Kalyan will have a comfortable majority in the house of 425.The poor showing by the party is also likely to renew the dissident BJP MLAs demand for Kalyan's removal. The dissidents, backed by the state party president Rajnath Singh and Urban Development Minister Lalji Tandon, had abandoned their demand till the elections were over.Both Rajnath and PWD Minister Kalraj Mishra arrived here on Thursday to discuss UP situation with Central party leaders. Rajnath is expected to meet BJP president Kushabhau Thakre on Friday.Both Rajnath and Kalyan separately owned up responsibility for party's poor performance in UP. Asked whether he would resign from the post, Rajnath said, ``Whatever I said is enough''.Kalyan on the other hand, said in a TV interview that the party would analyse and remedy the causes that led to its poor performance. ``The results are not up to our expectations. As the head of the State Government, I own full responsibility for the party's poor showing,'' he said.Kalyan on his part had conceded defeat halfway the electoral process by terming Lok Sabha polls as referendum on performance of Vajpayee Government and not his. He also shirked responsibility for the debacle by saying party's performance at the hustling was collective responsibility of party leaders.He and a number of his close supporters were allegedly working at cross purposes with the BJP. His son is alleged to have campaigned for the SP candidate in Aligarh while Sakshi Maharaj extensively campaigned against the BJP candidates all over UP.Sakshi, even after being expelled from the BJP, is all praise for Kalyan. ``The BJP is not treating him properly and this is high time that Kalyan too should quit the party. In case, they remove him, he will come out of the BJP,'' Sakshi told The Indian Express on Thursday. He is said to be a go-between Kalyan and SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav.Top BJP leaders are learnt to have taken Kalyan's actions seriously and have even discussed various options and their implications during informal talks during the past two days. Any action however, was unlikely till Vajpayee was firmly ensconsed in Prime Ministerial chair and had consolidated his position, party insiders claim.
