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BJP factions in UP close ranks to fight polls as 'monolithic' unit

The crisis over Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Kalyan Singh's leadership in the state unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party appears to have blown over with about 25 rebel BJP MLAs assuring Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee today that they would contest the coming general elections as a ''monolithic unit'' setting aside their differences.

''We have not placed any pre-conditions for lending our full support to the party's cause in the Lok Sabha elections due in September-October,'' dissident spokesman Surjeet Singh Dange said after the rebel MLAs and UP leaders met Vajpayee at his residence for about half-an-hour.

Some recalcitrant MLAs, however, made it clear that their stand against Kalyan Singh's ''autocratic functioning'' had only been shelved for the time being because of the polls.

The MLAs are expected to meet party president Kushabhau Thakre and Union Home Minister L K Advani separately later in the day to apprise them of their latest stand.

Expelled minister of state for basic education Ravi Shukla said that the party high command was fully aware of their reservations against Kalyan Singh's style of functioning and there was no need to reiterate such issues.

''Now our top priority agenda is to accomplish the long cherished dream of winning a comfortable majority for the party and re-ascendency of Vajpayee to power at the Centre'', he said.

Today's development indicated that the efforts of party general secretary Govindhacharya had borne fruits and the crisis in the BJP's main citadel is almost over. Govindacharya was camping in Lucknow for the past few days.

UNI

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