Stability overrides morality, justifies BJP

NEW DELHI, February 27: In what seems to be part of moves to tone down the beating the Bharatiya Janata Party's stability plank got in the U...

NEW DELHI, February 27: In what seems to be part of moves to tone down the beating the Bharatiya Janata Party8217;s stability plank got in the UP crisis, party vice-president K L Sharma asserted 8220;stability overrides morality8221;.

Addressing media persons, Sharma was at pains to hammer in the point justifying the shifting of alliance by Loktantrik Congress leader Naresh Agarwal and others. Sharma, however, maintained that the BJP was a party with a difference. 8220;Why should we object if someone supports or wishes to support the BJP. They are welcome. There is no question of morality in that,quot; he said, when pointed out how the LC legislators and some independents changed sides.

Sharma put the whole onus of the State8217;s Constitutional crisis on 8220;the nefarious designs of Governor Romesh Bhandari8221; and said that the BJP8217;s stand had been vindicated by the courts and finally in the House itself.

The BJP leader suspected that Bhandari allegedly acted on Prime Minister I K Gujral8217;s word to help 8220;one of his cabinetcolleagues8221;. Sharma drew attention to the fact that the Union Cabinet meeting today skirted the UP episode and Gujral avoided talking to senior BJP leader A B Vajpayee after the dismissal of Kalyan.

Meanwhile, Loktantrik leader Naresh Agarwal today said the conspiracy to destablise the Kalyan government was hatched by the Samajwadi Party, the Bahujan Samaj Party and the Congress in Orcha near Jhansi on February 4. Asked whether he knew about the conspiracy, Agarwal said, 8220;We had an inkling about some disgruntled elements in the Loktantrik, but decided to approach Kalyan Singh after the polls8221;.

The Loktantrik leader claimed that he had been apprising the Chief Minister and BJP leaders of the dissatisfaction among the ministers, belonging to his party.

Denying any 8220;deal8221; struck between him and Kalyan Singh before the vote of confidence, Agarwal reiterated that he and his party colleagues had crossed over to the Jagdambika camp only as part of a strategy8217; without which it would not have been possibleto persuade back some of his party colleagues who had decided to join the non-BJP government by toppling Kalyan. However, he said, 8220;We do want that the portfolios of some of the LCP ministers to be changed.8221;

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Agarwal also said that they had written to the Speaker Kesari Nath Tripathi informing him about the expulsion of Jagdambika Pal, Hari Shankar Tiwari and Puran Singh Bundela from the party on ground of indiscipline. Agarwal said he had also advised the CM to allow Rakesh Tyagi to continue as minister and drop Shyam Sunder Sharma, although he would continue to be a member of the LC.