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Divide in the BJP growing

Pradeep Kashyap in New Delhi

Close on the heels of the Indian National Lok Dal withdrawing support to the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government, differences within the Bharatiya Janata Party, the dominant partner in the ruling coalition at the Centre, took an ominous turn today with Bihar Governor Sunder Singh Bhandari deciding to resign and at least two Lok Sabha members from the state threatening to resign as a mark of solidarity with him.

The developments obviously pose a serious problem for the 11-month-old BJP-led government for which the support of every single member is crucial in view of its wafer-thin majority.

Only yesterday, the BJP received a shock when its Lok Sabha member from Bhopal, Sushil Chandra Verma, gave up his seat in protest against the non-fulfilment of promises made to the Bhopal gas tragedy victims and INLD president Om Prakash Chautala announced the withdrawal of his support to the government on the issue of the increase in prices of essential commodities and urea. The INLD has four members in the Lok Sabha.

Clearly piqued and feeling humiliated by Home Minister Lal Kishenchand Advani's surprise announcement that he would be replaced by an apolitical appointee, Bhandari is understood to have decided to relinquish his office. He was scheduled to leave Patna for New Delhi by the Rajdhani Express tonight to meet the prime minister.

Sources said Bhandari is unlikely to relent and oblige the party high command which has been trying to persuade him not to precipitate matters.

The two Bihar MPs who have reportedly sent their resignations to the party leadership are Madan Jaiswal and Dhirendra Agarwal.

According to BJP sources in New Delhi, a third MP from the state, Ram Tahel Choudhary, has also sent in his resignation.

Meanwhile, BJP spokesman M Venkaiah Naidu asserted that there is no threat to the Vajpayee government and expressed the hope that the INLD would reconsider its decision.

He was confident that the Bhandari issue would also be resolved amicably.

He denied the party leadership receiving any resignation letter from any Bihar MP.

But the sources said the three MPs had faxed their letters of resignation to party president Shashikant 'Kushabhau' Thakre this afternoon.

Advani reportedly came in for sharp criticism for his announcement about the plan to replace Bhandari at a meeting held by Thakre last night with Vajpayee and Advani soon after his return from Bhubaneswar.

Naidu, who was also present there, confirmed the meeting but refused to divulge any details.

Thakre, it is believed, took exception to the fact that he was not informed about the decision. This, the sources said, showed a lack of communication among senior party leaders.

The sources ascribed the recent developments -- the resignation of former Union minister Madan Lal Khurana from the Cabinet and the "irresponsible" statements by leaders of the Sangh Parivar -- to the "autocratic" style of functioning of the party leadership.

The relations between Bhandari and Advani reportedly soured when Bhandari was removed from mainstream politics and sent to Bihar as governor, to make way for Thakre to become the party president.

The sources said it would not be a surprise if more resignations by MPs from Bihar are forwarded to the party high command. The party has 12 members in the Lok Sabha from the state.

The prime minister, meanwhile, did not grant an audience to Akali Dal politician Gurcharan Singh Tohra who was camping in the capital for the last two days to seek his intervention in the Akali imbroglio.

The Akalis have eight members in the Lok Sabha and their support is crucial for Vajpayee's government.

Before leaving for Punjab, Tohra is understood to have said that if the prime minister is not bothered about the Akalis, then there is no reason for them to continue supporting the BJP.

• 4 BJP MPs support Khurana
  

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