Katiyar gets his word in on way out

State Bharatiya Janata Party chief Vinay Katiyar is set to lose his job. At a meeting with former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee today,...

State Bharatiya Janata Party chief Vinay Katiyar is set to lose his job. At a meeting with former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee today, Katiyar was reportedly given his marching orders.

After the BJP’s poor show in the recent Lok Sabha polls — Katiyar himself was defeated — speculation was rife that both Katiyar and Lalji Tandon, leader of the BJP’s Legislature Party, would be sacked.

However, while Tandon has managed to retain his post despite the sari distribution fiasco as part of his birthday celebrations, in which 22 women and three children died, Katiyar may not be so lucky.

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Shivkumar, Vajpayee’s old friend, made no secret of it. Speaking to Katiyar after the latter’s 20-minute meeting with the former PM, he said: ‘‘Katiyarji ab to aap nahin kahenge ki shahadat ke pehle gawahi ka mauka nahin mila. Apne poorv pradhan mantri ke samne apna paksh rakh diya (I hope that now you will not say that you were not given a chance to speak before the execution. You have clarified your stand before the former PM).’’

Katiyar claimed that he had nothing to say to Vajpayee. Speaking to his supporters, he said: ‘‘I did not say anything. He kept on asking me questions and I gave answers.’’ However, he added: ‘‘I will be travelling to different parts of the State soon.’’

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