MLA attacks Maya man for burning Dalit home

Even senior BJP leader Kalraj Mishra admitted today that differences still exist between the BJP and BSP cadre, a BJP legislator has launche...

Even senior BJP leader Kalraj Mishra admitted today that differences still exist between the BJP and BSP cadre, a BJP legislator has launched an attack on his BSP counterpart in Ballia district, alleging exploitation of a Dalit supporter of the BJP.

Sources said the BJP MLA from Chilkahar, Ram Iqbal Singh, took up party supporter Om Prakash Ram8217;s cause after the latter8217;s house in Pahadpur village was set afire by the BSP MLA8217;s brother following a row.

Singh said he had lodged written complaints on the issue with Urban Development Minister Lalji Tandon and state BJP chief Vinay Katiyar but did not receive any favourable responses from either the local administration or the state BJP leadership, prompting him to lead a protest against BSP MLA Dhuram, who represents the Rasra Assembly segment. Singh said he would soon stage a dharna and a demonstration at the local and state BJP headquarters.

Shankaracharya8217;s formula not of Centre: Kalraj

LUCKNOW: Refuting VHP8217;s statement that the Centre was behind Kanchi Shankaracharya Jayendra Saraswati8217;s proposals on Ayodhya, senior BJP leader Kalraj Mishra today said the seer had proferred 8216;8216;the formula8217;8217; on his own initiative. Addressing newspersons here, the UP party unit in-charge asserted the Centre had nothing to do with the Kanchi seer8217;s proposals and 8216;8216;it was solely of the Shankaracharya.8217;8217; Mishra said the Centre was committed to construct the Ram temple but a 8216;8216;go-ahead8217;8217; would be given only after a 8216;8216;consensus8217;8217; was reached at by all the parties. Reacting to the statements of VHP leaders that PM A.B. Vajpayee and his Deputy L.K. Advani were behind the proposal, he said: 8216;8216;Both want the Ram temple at the earliest and such allegations are baseless.8217;8217; 8212; Agencies

The BJP8217;s in-charge of UP affairs Kalraj Mishra, while admitting that district officials were biased against BJP workers, said today that he had asked partymen to send their complaints in writing so that they could be taken up with the Chief Minister at a proper platform. 8216;8216;It is natural for the bureaucracy to be inclined towards the party the CM represents, but this should not mean that they officials should neglect other alliance partners,8217;8217; Mishra added.

He claimed that Chief Minister Mayawati had been repeatedly sending signals to district officials that workers of both coalition partners should be treated at par but 8216;8216;the officials are not responding8217;8217;.

8216;8216;The coalition is running under political compulsions. But when it has been made clear that the BJP and BSP will contest the Lok Sabha elections as partners, both sides should make efforts to iron out the differences before the polls,8217;8217; the BJP leader said.

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BJP workers have been complaining about the preferential treatment given to their BSP counterparts by district officials. Sources said the BJP receives about six to 10 such complaints daily but none has shown willingness to pursue the cases.