ELECTIONS '98
COMMENTARY
SPECIALS
INTERVIEWS
CAPITAL BUZZ
REDIFF POLL
DEAR REDIFF
THE STATES
YEH HAI INDIA!
ARCHIVES

In UP, you can have the moon if you know the BJP rulers's kin

Sharat Pradhan in Lucknow

Promises, we learn from the Bharatiya Janata Party in Uttar Pradesh, are like rules -- made to be broken.

Hardly do days pass without the BJP leaders repeating that golden pronouncement: good governance, that's what we'll give you!

But hardly do days pass, either, without those same words losing their sheen, their glitter and turning black, black as corruption, black as nepotism.

For, you see, in the BJP raj of UP, nothing is more supreme to the rulers than their kith and kin. Whether it is awarding major contracts, purchases by government departments or transfer and posting of bureaucrats, police officials, doctors and engineers, it is the ministers's relatives who call the shots!

Those who have been caught in the controversy include the sons of Public Works Minister Kalraj Misra, Urban Development Minister Lalji Tandon and Minister for Minor Irrigation and Rural Engineering Services Markanday Chand.

As also, that of Chief Minister Kalyan Singh!

The trend took roots during the Kamlapati Tripathi regime in the early 70s, when his daughter-in-law Chandra earned the sobriquet de facto chief minister. 'Bahuji', as she was popularly known, was the last appeal; it was common knowledge that her magic wand could make impossible tasks possible.

Thereafter, it was Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna's turn to be led around by the nose. By wife Kamla, who, the moment Bahuguna took over, took over the reins from him.

Subsequently, however, there was a vacuum of an extra constitutional power centre for sometime -- chief ministers N D Tiwari and Veerbahadur Singh kept their families well away from the affairs of state. Singh was known to have issued firm instructions not to comply with any request made by his son, who, incidentally, is now a minister of state in the Kalyan Singh government.

Thereafter, with the exception of Vishwanath Pratap Singh, all other chief ministers have religiously kept the kith-and-kin-call-the-shot tradition.

And now, it would appear, Kalyan Singh and his colleagues are trying hard to surpass all before them.

If, during his previous tenure, Kalyan Singh had only allegedly let his son do the ruling, this time around he is said to be letting his foster son, too, to have a finger in the power pie.

"None dare challenge their authority (that of the sons) for fear of facing the chief minister's axe," sources say, "Bureaucrats are only too obliging, for they know best how to keep the boss on the right side."

As for Kalraj Misra's son (who had been allegedly involved in an attempted molestation of an adviser to former governor Motilal Vora) the less said the better. Informed sources say you can get anything done in the public works and tourism departments (both under Kalraj) through him. Here is what a beneficiary, who claims to have got his posting changed thrice due to the meherbaani of the said son, has to say about the matter:

"Generally the deal is pretty smooth. Every commitment is honoured after a bit of bargaining. There is a no dearth of contractors who have managed to bag major deals through the son and another aide of the minister. And for engineers, his is an open house -- you shell out what is demanded and you can have the moon for the asking!"

Markanday Chand's son is allegedly involved in several anti-social activities. He runs a parallel office to his father's. Those who have interacted with him describe him as the 'de facto minister.'

Lalji Tandon's son had, till very recently, remained out of controversies. But a recent incident spilled the beans: The son first reprimanded a police sub inspector who dared to tell him not to violate regulations, and then, deciding that the cop needed something more than mere words to remember him by, allegedly chased him down the road till the poor man sought refuge in a nearby police station. Tandon junior didn't stop at that -- the SI, sources say, found himself marching to a new posting within no time!

This, thus we learn, is how the BJP provide good governance in Uttar Pradesh.

Tell us what you think of this report