The Hindu : Speculation as Mahajan meets Kalyan Singh

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jan 22, 2004

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Other States - Uttar Pradesh

Speculation as Mahajan meets Kalyan Singh

By J.P. Shukla

LUCKNOW, JAN. 21 .The Bharatiya Janata Party general secretary, Pramod Mahajan, held a long meeting with the Rashtriya Kranti Party leader and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, Kalyan Singh, at the latter's residence here today fuelling speculation that discussions were on to facilitate the entry of Mr. Singh into the BJP.

Mr. Mahajan was accompanied by two party MPs, Balbir Punj and Dinanath Mishra.

Mr. Singh later told newspersons that they discussed political developments. "When politicians sit together, they naturally discuss politics and that is what has transpired between me and the BJP leaders," he said. Mr. Singh refused to specify what transpired but denied that the meeting was a process to accelerate his return to the BJP. He said that since 2004 was an election year, it would be full of political upheavals. Some parties were joining the National Democratic Alliance while others were leaving it. The Congress was also making and unmaking friends. It was busy forging alliances from Kashmir to Bihar. All this was in the nature of things and there was nothing unusual about them, he said.

Speculation had been rife about Mr. Singh's moves after he visited the residence of the BJP Leader of the Opposition in U.P., Lalji Tandon, on December 24 to greet the Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, on the eve of his birthday. Mr. Singh offered sweets to Mr. Vajpayee and remained with him for about an hour.

On January four, at a meeting of RKP leaders and other functionaries, a resolution was adopted authorising Mr. Singh to take whatever decision he thought was proper.

Asked if he had received any call from the Samajwadi Party leaders after his meeting with Mr. Mahajan today, Mr. Singh said, "Why should anyone ask about such meetings. After all, others also hold similar meetings.

"On my birthday on January 5, even the Congress leaders had come to meet me. I had a telephonic talk with the Congress leader, Sonia Gandhi too." Such meetings between politicians were quite normal, he added.

To a question whether he was satisfied with the functioning of the State Government, Mr. Singh said his party was very much part of the SP-led Government and he had not expressed dissatisfaction with its functioning. There was no danger to the Government which at present enjoyed a massive support in the Assembly.

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