Sarvajan Hitaya Sarvajan Sukhaya
Online edition of India’s National Newspaper
Wednesday, Sep 12, 2007
Sindhia, others in touch with BSP
S. Rajendran
P.G.R. Sindhia
Bangalore: The former Minister and senior Janata Dal (Secular) leader P.G.R. Sindhia, who caused a flutter sometime ago by challenging the JD(S) leadership, has now decided to join the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP).
Mr. Sindhia, who is now in New Delhi, told The Hindu, βI have made up my mind to join the BSP although it is technically difficult at present because I have been elected to the Assembly on a JD(S) ticket. I will be campaigning for BSP candidates in the elections to the urban local bodies, but the day is not far off when I will be a part of the BSP.β
The talk in political circles here is that apart from Mr Sindhia, there are many other leaders in the Bharatiya Janata Party, the Congress and the JD(S) who are in touch with BSP leaders. One of them is the former Health Minister H.C. Mahadevappa, who is part of the Siddaramaiah group, which shifted its allegiance to the Congress.
Discussions on
BSP general secretary in charge of Karnataka, Veer Singh, MP, has been in the State for the past three days holding discussions with several political leaders although they are unlikely to take the plunge before the term of the current Assembly ends.
State BSP president B. Gopal said the party was being strengthened in Karnataka and he was confident that the party would do well in the next Assembly elections using the same formula that enabled it to record a thumping victory in Uttar Pradesh. βWe will also open our account in the municipal elections,β he said.
Mr. Sindhiaβs entry into the BSP would also signal the end of the challenge by the Surendra Mohan faction of the JD(S) to the leadership of the former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda. Mr Sindhia, along with M.P. Veerendra Kumar JD(S) MP, has petitioned the Election Commission claiming that the Surendra Mohan faction is the original JD(S).
They have said that the claims made by JD(S) led by Mr. Deve Gowda and Karnataka Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy are βillegalβ since their group had parted ways with the original JD(S) by joining hands with the BJP to form a coalition Government in the State.
State JD(S) president Merajuddin Patel said that the party was contemplating expelling Mr. Sindhia from the party for anti-party activities, and a decision was expected shortly. Mr. Sindhia has been under suspension for over a year on the charge of anti-party activities.
Petition pending
The petition pending before the Speaker seeking disqualification of Mr. Sindhia from the Assembly after the latter campaigned for Mr. Siddaramaiah in the Chamundeshwari byelection is expected to come up for hearing on October 6.