Rival claims over Lucknow rally 'success'

By J. P. Shukla

LUCKNOW, APRIL 16. Who should get the credit for the ``success'' of the National Democratic Alliance rally held here yesterday? The leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party and its coalition partners do not have a common answer to the question.

The Uttar Pradesh Minister for Urban Development,

Mr. Lalji Tandon, who has taken upon himself to nurse the constituency of the Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee, was the chief of the organising committee and he feels the credit must go to him.

The idea to organise a Kisan rally at Lucknow was his brain child and a decision to hold the rally was taken at the State BJP Executive meeting at Jhansi months ago. Mr. Mishra, as the president of the State Party unit, therefore, feels the credit should go to him.

The Chief Minister, Mr. Rajnath Singh's speech for major part was devoted to the decisions taken by his Government for the benefit of the farmers.

The point most stressed by him was his outstanding victory in Hydergarh byelection which had proved the worthlessness of the opposition.His suggestion to show his contribution to the success of the rally also did not go unnoticed.

The Loktantrik Congress Party leader, Mr. Naresh Agarwal, has been trying to claim more than his share in the success of the rally as evidenced by the behaviour of his supporters at the rally ground itself on Sunday.

While leaders had already started addressing the crowds, the LCP activists with gigantic banners and flags continued to shout slogans to cheer Mr. Agarwal.

This continued to distract the audience from the speeches being made from the podium for more than half an hour.

The supporters of the Union Minister, Mr. Ram Bilas Paswan, indulged in similar slogan shouting to register their presence in the crowd.While Mr. Paswan as also Mr. Naresh Agarwal were seen gladly waving to their supporters the speakers themself were obviously embarrassed at the interruptions.

Mr. Tandon had to repeatedly announce from the rostrum that the presence of the slogan shouters had been noticed and they should keep silent. His pleadings, however, went unheeded for quite some time.

The rally was originally conceived as a Kisan rally.Its character was subsequently changed to that of an NDA rally to reply to the Tehelka expose.While the BJP decided to cancel NDA rallies elsewhere the Lucknow rally was allowed to take place with the previous focus on farmers and their problems.The LCP even made an open demand that Central leaders should announce special package for the development of UP.

The obsession of the NDA leaders with the Tehelka, however, did not allow them to change the theme and the occasion was chosen only to chastise the Congress for obstructing the proceedings of the Lok Sabha.

The exclusion of the former U.P. BJP chief and an important backward leader from those allowed to sit on the dias has been yet another cause of bickerings in the party. It showed that backwards were being deliberately sidelined in the party, said a backward Minister.

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