Bjp, Bsp To Iron Out Differences Over Dinner

Top leaders of the BJP and BSP will meet here on October 12 in an attempt to iron out the differences plaguing the alliance on the issues of a Kalyan Singh government order relating to the SC/ST Act and transfer of senior civil and police officials in Uttar Pradesh.

The dinner meeting to be held at the residence of former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee will be attended by BJP president L.K. Advani, BSP president Kanshi Ram, state Chief Minister Kalyan Singh and his immediate predecessor Mayawati and the president of the state unit of the BJP Rajnath Singh.

The leaders of the two parties had held one round of talks at the residence of Vajpayee Tuesday night. Kalyan Singh and Rajnath Singh were not present at the meeting.

The relations between the two parties came under strain when BSP took strong exception to the government order which sought to prevent misuse of the SC/ST Act accusing the BJP of being anti-Dalit. The BSP also opposed transfer of officials by the chief minister saying this was done without consulting it.

Asked about the transfer of several officials during the tenure of Mayawati, BJP spokesperson Sushma Swaraj said it was done in consultation with BJP ministers in her cabinet.

Swaraj was hopeful that the BJP-BSP alliance would sort out the differences amicably at the October 12 meeting and the coalition would function smoothly.