Katiyar plays Maya numbers game

The BJP is now singing the BSP tune of ‘‘representation as per population percentage’’ to get the Chief Minister to take...

The BJP is now singing the BSP tune of ‘‘representation as per population percentage’’ to get the Chief Minister to take in a few more of its men in the Cabinet.

The BJP faced a near revolt after many senior legislators were excluded from the fresh list of ministers sworn in on Friday.

Senior BJP legislator Ganga Bhakt Singh quit in protest, and Lallu Singh Chauhan refused to take the oath because he was made a minister of state unlike some greenhorns.

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The growing unrest pushed state BJP chief Vinay Katiyar and Urban Development Minister Lalji Tandon to Mayawati’s office late on Saturday. They went asking for more Cabinet berths, particularly after Mayawati on Friday ruled out further expansion.

She obliged. In an official communique today, Mayawati said: ‘‘I stick to my stand there will be no further expansion of the ministry. But based on the number of legislators, some more names can be included for ministerial berths. But this won’t be a further expansion.’’

Katiyar, unveiling his strategy, sounded a caution too this evening. ‘‘Our strength is 111, if the allies and Independents besides BJP’s 88 legislators are taken together. So the representation in the ministry should be according to number of MLAs who have pledged support to the government.

‘‘The resentment among our party MLAs is natural and will be taken care of. But the size of any ministry is not unlimited, which means that everybody cannot be included.’’

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The Cabinet now has 78 ministers: 39 each from BJP (including allies), and BSP. This includes Lallu Singh, who refused to take oath. The BSP has 98 MLAs altogether.

Katiyar hinted at the push and pulls within his party and among allies when he said: ‘‘Those who contested the election in league with the BJP cannot be left in the lurch. We will have to take care of all.’’

A good example is that of Raghuraj Pratap Singh, alias Raja Bhaiya, an Independent who supports the BJP. Raja Bhaiya, like BSP’s Amar Mani Tripathi, has several criminal cases registered against him. Tripathi was even jailed during the Rajnath Singh regime.

Katiyar tried to make a case for Raja Bhaiya and said: ‘‘Don’t compare Raja Bhaiya with Tripathi because he has not been jailed.’’

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This evening, Mayawati distributed portfolios among the new ministers. BJP and BSP ministers who were heading several departments were unburdened to accommodate the new ministers.

Mayawati, however, has kept 10 portfolios to herself. These include Home and Finance.