UAE | General
Mayawati wants no part of reshuffle
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati yesterday slammed the door on Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) lawmakers hoping to be central ministers by asserting that her party would continue supporting the government from outside.
- From Ajay Jha
- Published: 00:00 May 20, 2003
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati yesterday slammed the door on Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) lawmakers hoping to be central ministers by asserting that her party would continue supporting the government from outside.
The hopes of 14 BSP Lok Sabha members had risen following reports that Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee was keen on the BSP's representation in his council of ministers during the Cabinet reshuffle likely to be held soon.
In a statement issued from the state capital Lucknow yesterday, ahead of a key visit by the prime minister, Mayawati has been quoted as saying that her party will not become part of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government, while assuring that it would continue to extend outside support to it.
Besides the BSP, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) of N. Chandrababu Naidu Om Prakash Chautala respectively also support the central government from outside, despite being constituents of the NDA.
The forthcoming reshuffle is aimed at including some of the allies who are either not represented or are keeping away from joining the government to make it further broad based. The Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee and the senior National Conference leader and former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah are expected to be inducted as cabinet ministers.
Mayawati's announcement has, however, upset Vajpayee's plans. She has also made it clear that the issue of her party joining the central government would not come up during her talks with Vajpayee who is starting a two-day visit to Lucknow, which he represents in the Lok Sabha, from today.
The BJP, which was keen on having the BSP in the government to ensure that it lends its support to the party during the October provincial polls in four states, is disappointed with the development. "It is clear that the only reason for her decision is to ensure that no other power centre within the party emerges," a senior BJP functionary said.
Rashid Alvi, who replaced Mayawati as leader of the BSP parliamentary party upon her election as the Uttar Pradesh chief minister a year ago, was tipped for ministerial assignment. It is widely believed that Mayawati fears that any BSP lawmaker becoming a central minister will weaken her strong grip over the party and create a rival power centre.
The Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) headed by Federal Agriculture Minister Ajit Singh has also denied reports that it plans to pull out of the government.
"There is no question of Ajit Singh resigning as the Agriculture Minister or our party withdrawing form the government either at the centre or in Uttar Pradesh," senior RLD leader and a close Ajit Singh aide Samarpal Singh told Gulf News.
Speculation was rife that Ajit Singh has been feeling uneasy as a minister since he does not agree with some of the policies of the government and has even been critical of them. Two of its legislators in Uttar Pradesh are ministers in the Mayawati government.
While Mamata Banerjee's return as a cabinet minister is predicted, it is uncertain who she will nominate for the second minister's berth from her party, particularly since the most obvious name, Sudip Bandopadhyay, has of late drifted away from her.
The Janata Dal (United) lawmakers are also cut up with party president and federal minister Sharad Yadav, saying he was not keen on having a second party lawmaker becoming a minister, although with six MPs the party can easily claim two ministerial berths.
Besides giving greater representation to allies, Vajpayee may also make changes in portfolios of his ministers and release some of the BJP ministers for party work. The impending reshuffle is seen as the last in a series before the next Lok Sabha elections due next year.
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