Up Arrangement Only For A Year: Mahajan

BJP general secretary Promod Mahajan yesterday said the rotation of chief ministership between his party and BSP in Uttar Pradesh would initially be only for a year.

At the end of the year, the arrangement to have a Chief Minister from each party for six months would be jointly reviewed and a decision taken on the next step, he told newsmen during an informal chat at the meeting of BJP functionaries of Nagpur division.

The agreement came about when BSP supremo Kanshi Ram realised that the Congress had lost its relevance in Uttar Pradesh and approached the BJP, which insisted on an equal coalition, Mahajan said, .

adding that he was confident that the partnership would not be short-lived as predicted by many.

He took strong exception to the gesture made by India on the eve of Indo-Pak foreign secretary-level talks easing visa restrictions for Pakistani nationals. He said any such gesture should not be unilateral but made by both sides.

We want friendly relations with Pakistan and exchange of writers, artistes, businessmen and journalists, but the exchange should be mutual, he added.