National executive not a forum to discuss Kalyan’s fate — Thakre

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Kalyan Singh, whose fate is likely to be decided at the national executive, called on Union Home Minister Lal Krishna Advani on Tuesday but refused to comment on what transpired between the two.

But Singh has got a reprieve at least till November 15. While party chief Kushabhau Thakre will be on tour immediately after the national executive and will return on November 10, Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee would leave the following day for the convention of Commonwealth nations in Durban (South Africa). He will return on November 15. “No decision on UP is possible unless the top three leaders — Vajpayee, Advani and Thakre — sit together”, said BJP vice president Jana Krishnamurthi.

Thakre made it clear that the national executive was not the forum to discuss Kalyan Singh’s fate. However, the party’s debacle in the recent general elections in the northern state will be debated at the meeting, he said. While admitting that the situation needed correction, Thakre refused to say what steps were being contemplated.

The national executive is likely to draw up a balance between long-term perspective (strengthening the BJP) and short-term necessity plan (National Democratic Alliance Government).

The national executive, will decide the schedule for BJP’s organisational elections since Thakre’s term ends in April next year and Thakre has himself opted out of the race for a second term on health grounds.

The economic resolution to be taken up at the national executive would focus on the country’s poor economic situation and discuss corrective measures. It would also deliberate on the impact of recent hike in diesel prices and how to convince the public about the impending hike in prices of other petroleum products like kerosene and LPG besides those of commodities distributed through Public Distribution System (PDS), a senior party leader said.

The political resolution would concentrate on the post-poll political situation and popular reaction to BJP’s trumpeting the Kargil issue as a diplomatic as well as military victory of the Government led by it. It is also likely to discuss the Bofors chargesheet, presenting it as the CBI’s handiwork and not the result of any political vendetta, as made out by the Congress.

The executive will also discuss the super cyclone that devastated Orissa last week and plan on ways to provide relief to the victims through party cadre.

The executive meeting will begin with a presidential address by Thakre Wednesday morning, take up reports on party’s performance in various States presented by respective State presidents and pass the economic resolution.

The meeting will discuss performance reports from remaining States on Thursday, pass the political resolution and conclude with Vajpayee’s valedictory address, Naidu said.