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Chautala accepts resignation, Bhadana joins BJP

By Rajesh Ahuja

CHANDIGARH, APRIL 1. Speculation whether the Indian National Lok Dal supremo, Om Prakash Chautala, would persuade the Cooperation Minister, Kartar Singh Bhadana, to withdraw his resignation ended today with the Chief Minister recommending acceptance of the resignation to the Governor. A brief communique issued by Raj Bhavan stated that the Governor, on the advice of the Chief Minister, had accepted the resignation of Mr. Bhadana with immediate effect. In a related development, Mr. Bhadana joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in New Delhi in the presence of BJP general secretaries, Pramod Mahajan and Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi.

According to highly-placed sources, Mr. Chautala seems to have accepted the parting of ways with Mr. Bhadana, who had played a key role in the induction of the Chautala Ministry in 1999, on the basis of intelligence reports that he was reportedly in touch not only with BJP leaders but also a power broker in Chandigarh who had played a significant role in the fall of the Bansi Lal Government in 1999.

Meanwhile, breaking his silence, Mr. Chautala denied that there was any threat whatsoever to his Government and asserted that he enjoyed a majority in the 90-member Assembly. Sources close to him also dismissed reports appearing in the vernacular press that a few "disgruntled'' INLD Ministers and MLAs were ready to leave the party. Mr. Chautala reiterated that the next Vidhan Sabha elections would be held as scheduled early next year.

Mr. Bhadana, a Gujjar leader, led the revolt against Mr. Chautala's "style of functioning'' after he was reportedly assured by the BJP that he would be fielded from the Dausa Lok Sabha constituency in Rajasthan against the son of the late Congress leader, Rajesh Pilot.

He has submitted his resignation from the Haryana Assembly to the Speaker, Satbir Singh Kadian, who has asked him to appear before him personally tomorrow morning to satisfy whether the resignation is voluntary and genuine.

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