Khurana keeps people guessing on future course of action

The man in the centre of the controversy, Khurana, however, continues to keep people, both within and outside his party, guessing about his future course of action. He admitted that many leaders from the ruling alliance had met him since he resigned from the Union Cabinet and the BJP national executive. But he refused to say anything more on the subject.

The veteran BJP leader also admitted that he held an informal talk with Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee a day before his departure for his latest round of foreign tours.

He also held a similar meeting with Defence Minister George Fernandes on February 8. While his talks with Vajpayee lasted 45 minutes, he held a 90-minute meeting with Fernandes, who is also convener of the ruling coalition’s Coordination Committee.

When contacted, Khurana, however, refused to divulge details about his discussions with the two leaders. “Talks are still on,” was all he could say.

He said he would have a second round of discussions with the Prime Minister after his return from the G-15 summit on February 15, before taking a decision on his future.

Ghafoor, in his hard-hitting letter to the Prime Minister, observed that Khurana was not allowed to speak on some issues concerning the security of the minorities, at the BJP’s national executive in Bangalore early last month.

Conceding that Khurana’s resignation from the BJP’s national executive was an internal matter of the party, he, however, further wrote in his letter: “I feel that you (Vajpayee) have punished him by accepting his resignation for raising the issue about the security of Christians.”

“You and Khurana had raised your voice against the massacre of the Sikhs in 1984, but now you have punished him when he spoke about the security of the minorities in the country,” the Samata Party leader added.