Defiant Kalyan’s sack imminent
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Dec 4 — A defiant former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, Kalyan Singh’s expulsion from the BJP became imminent today as he continued his tirade against the Central leadership, including Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee in his reply to the show-cause notice served on him on November 27.

Today being the last day for giving his reply, Mr Kalyan Singh, who has been suspended from the primary membership of the party, chose to make public his reply to the party President Kushabau Thakre to mediapersons in Lucknow.

Reports from the state capital said Mr Kalyan Singh in his reply continued to be defiant and charged the leadership with promoting the "evil cult of individualism" and deviating from the party’s principles and ideals.

"The BJP had deviated from its principles and idealism and that is why its support among the masses has dwindled", he said.

In a direct attack on Mr Vajpayee, he apprehended that "he (Mr Vajpayee) can go to any extent to harm me".

"The Prime Minister can hatch a conspiracy to harm me", he said but declined to elaborate on the basis of his apprehension.

In an apparent reference to the Prime Minister, he said the projection of an individual in the recent Lok Sabha poll did not go in favour of the BJP and the "halo created around that individual proved ineffective".

Mr Kalyan Singh also launched a scathing attack on the party leadership for abandoning the contentious issues including the Ram temple, and said those still supporting these issues and workers of the party still remembered them.

Accusing Mr Vajpayee of being responsible for the ideological shift in the party, he said the "aspirations of an individual had got the better of the wishes of the workers".

He termed his suspension as an attack on the Dalit, backward communities and the downtrodden and said "Vajpayeeji did not like my fight for the rights of these people".

He cautioned the BJP leadership against succumbing to the Prime Minister and his coterie. He said he would continue his unrelenting fight in the interests of the backward, downtrodden and neglected lot of the society. "I would welcome all those desirous of joining my fight against status quoism", he said.

In the letter, he said he had always fought for social justice. He favoured the demand for separate reservation for the SC/ST and backward caste within the 33 per cent reservation proposed for women in Parliament and state legislatures. He claimed the Prime Minister was opposed to the provisions.

Senior leaders at the party headquarters had no clue to the response of Mr Kalyan Singh and it was only through the Press that they learnt about his reply to the show cause notice.

Party sources said they were not sure whether Mr Kalyan Singh had first gone to the Press in Lucknow instead of the party in yet another act of defiance.

The chairman of the disciplinary committee, Mr J.P.Mathur, when asked about Mr Kalyan Singh’s reply said "I understand that he has responded to the show-cause notice in Lucknow".

Party General Secretary in charge of Uttar Pradesh, Mr K.N. Govindacharya said now that former Chief Minister had responded to the party’s notice, the disciplinary committee would initiate proceedings against him. He said the entire process would be completed by the next two to three days.

He however, said "there appears to be no other alternative but expulsion on the basis of the reply given by him to the show-cause notice".

The language used by Mr Kalyan Singh had been "unbecoming more vitriolic", since the show cause notice was issued to him.

Mr Govindacharya said he did not foresee any division in the party as a result of Mr Kalyan Singh’s ouster. He was confident that there would be no threat to the Ram Prasad government in UP.

He felt that no individual was more important than the party and at no stage should indiscipline be tolerated.

Meanwhile, Mr J.P. Mathur said he would initiate action against Mr Kalyan Singh only after the party chief formally hands him over the latter’s reply.