UP's new axis: Cong, Kalyan, Mulayam

NEW DELHI: The powers that be in theBJP, who have apparently lost interest in Govindacharya and his theory of socialengineering, are reported to be equally reluctant to take former UP chiefminister Kalyan Singh back into the party. Reason: no party leader worthhis name wants to take a line that is even remotely disliked by the PrimeMinister.On his part, Kalyan, who is aware of the all the developmentstaking place in the BJP camp, has countered by openly joining forces withMulayam Singh Yadav. His present political outfit, the Rashtriya KrantiParty, which doesn''t have even half a dozen members in the state assembly,fielded Kusum Rai in the biennial legislative council election only last week.And, believe it or not, Rai won unopposed, thanks to the unqualified supportextended by the Samajwadi Party.Indeed, the Kalyan-Mulayam axis hasstepped up its activities in the state. Trusted lieutenants of both leaders havebeen in touch with Congressmen. And if pointers available at the PCCheadquarters in Lucknow, can be taken at their face value, the SP and theCongress have decided to bury their hatchet. They may or may not fight thenext election together, but it is almost certain that the two parties would voteagainst the Mayawati government whenever the assembly meets.The BJPrebels, who have been opposing their party''s tie-up with the BSP, have beenequally active. At least, six rebel legislators are reported to have moved theAllahabad High Court, challenging the Speaker''s decision to uphold themaintainability of the petitions filed against them by their party leaders.Whatever be the outcome of their petition, it is clear that most of themare in a mood to fight back.Little wonder then that the top leadership ofthe BJP has decided to latch on to the BSP even more strongly. State BJP chiefVinay Katiyar has been told by Venkaiah Naidu to be more discreet in hisutterances. Katiyar has been painting Ambedkar as an icon of anti-Muslimcultural nationalism. And he was also reported to have expressed uncertaintyover the continuance of BJP-BSP ties. However, he later came out with adenial.The BJP''s decision to swim with the BSP is understandable. Thanksto the formation of the Kalyan-Mulayam axis, burying the hatchet between theCongress and the SP and flexing of muscles by the rebels, Uttar Pradesh has beenwitnessing the emergence of an altogether new socio-political combination at thegrassroot level: Rajput-OBC-Muslim tie-up. The powers that be in the BJPhere think that the only way to defeat this otherwise unbeatable combination isto form a rock-solid Brahmin-Bania-Dalit counter combination.Perhaps thatis why there is hardly any room for pushers of the OBC cause in the BJP.