BJP MLAs insist on Tandon as Deputy CM in UP

NEW DELHI: With more and more BJP MLAsraising the banner of revolt against the Mayawati establishment, all iscertainly not well between the two alliance partners in UP. "Thealliance is tilted in favour of the BSP so much so that the BJP doesn''t count inthe eyes of the administration at the grassroot level," a spokesman of theneo-rebels said, adding: "It''s time we insist on the appointment of a deputychief minister in the state."In fact, more than 60 party legislatorshave already signed a memorandum demanding that the leader of the BJPlegislature party, Lalji Tandon, be made deputy chief minister with the homeportfolio under his command. "We shall accept nothing less," the spokesman saidand announced that copies of the memorandum would be dispatched to the primeminister, the deputy prime minister and the party president.On hispart, Tandon, who is also known as the "rakhi brother" of Mayawati, says thatthe state legislature party didn''t adopt any resolution to this effect onWednesday. "But it is a different thing if members give vent to their feelingsin their individual capacity," he said.What is striking about thisnew development is the timing -- and not the demand. For, the budget session ofthe state Assembly is only three weeks away. While Mulayam Singh Yadav''sSamajwadi Party, Ajit Singh''s Rashtriya Lok Dal, Kalyan Singh''s Rashtriya KrantiParty and the Congress have already joined hands to pull down the government, atleast 15 BJP rebels have made it clear that they would rather side with theOpposition this time in case a trust or no-trust motion is moved.Itis not that the BSP is not aware of the developments within the BJP. In fact,Mayawati is reported to have told her party legislators to "remain prepared forLok Sabha and Assembly elections anytime between October and February". Thechief minister''s message to her partymen makes it clear that she wouldn''t mindif elections are forced on the state.Indeed, there are reasons whythe chief minister is sounding confident. First, she wants to dampen the spiritsof the BJP rebels by threatening to get the House resolved. And second, it''s afact that the BSP has succeeded in consolidating its mass base in the past oneyear or so. It''s a different thing that her alliance partner -- the BJP -- haslost ground during the same period.