Rjp Splits In Gujarat, Bjp Stakes Claim To Form Govt

The political situation in Gujarat took a dramatic turn yesterday with the Bharatiya Janata party (BJP) staking a claim to form the government with the support of a section of the ruling Rashtriya Janata Party (RJP)

Less than 24 hours after Chief Minister Dilip Parikh recommended dissolution of the state assembly, a delegation of the BJP, which has a strength of 76 MLAs in the 182-member house, met Governor Krishnapal Singh and formally staked their claim to form the government.

The delegation, led by BJP vice-president Keshubhai Patel, asserted that with the support of 16 breakaway RJP headed by revenue minister Atmaram Patel and an independent, the BJP commanded an absolute majority in the House.

 

The governor told reporters that the state cabinets recommendation for dissolution of the assembly was valid and he would take a decision on this later in the night.

He also said he would take into consideration political stability in the state which saw change of guard three times since the previous assembly poll in 1995.

In New Delhi, the BJP top brass stepped up pressure on the Central government to prevent dissolution of the Gujarat legislative assembly and demanded that the BJP should be allowed to form an alternative government.

The partys main aim is to prevent Dilip Parikh from remaining as caretaker Chief minister during the Lok Sabha and the assembly elections in the state. Some party leaders apprehended that Rashtriya Janata Party chief Shankersinh Vahgela might use the state machinery to manipulate election results.

Former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee alleged that Dilip Parikh wanted to work as the caretaker Chief Minister.

He spoke to President KR Narayanan on the telephone and urged him to give the BJP a chance to form an alternative government.

He also spoke to Prime Minister IK Gujral when the latter dropped at his residence on the occasion of his 74th birthday.

Vajpayee claimed that that the Parikh governments recommendation to Governor Krishanpal Singh to dissolve the assembly was not unanimous. The government also did not take the Congress into confidence while recommending dissolution, he said.

Party president LK Advani pointed out that the BJP with 76 MLAs had a majority in the assembly after the decision of the 17 Rashtriya Janata Party MLAs to support the BJP. The assembly has a strength of 181.

Advani declared that former Gujarat Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel would be the Chief Minister if the BJP formed an alternative government in the state.

Advanis assertion is intended to clarify to other aspirants to the chief ministers chair that the party would not replace Keshubhai with anyone else in order to form a government with the help of the RJP defectors.

Former Gujarat Chief Minister Sureshbhai Mehta and state leader Kashiram Rana are also reported to be in the race.