Kalyan Singh keeps everyone guessing

After creating a flutter in political circles, Kalyan Singh on Thursday sought to play down his meeting with Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and speculation that he would join BJP, but kept everyone in suspense saying: "Who knows what will happen tomorrow."

"No comments," said the Rashtriya Kranti Party chief when asked by reporters if BJP could invite him to rejoin the party from which he was expelled about four years ago after his critical remarks against the Prime Minister.

Preferring to be non-committal on his return to BJP, Singh said his party's support to the Mulayam Singh government in Uttar Pradesh would continue.

When pressed whether he would join BJP, Singh said he could not say what would happen tomorrow. "I am not an astrologer. I do not know what will happen in the future and who knows what will happen tomorrow."

"We will see how things progress and who could possibly emerge as the alliance partners for the Lok Sabha elections," he said in reply to another question.

He said an 'important' meeting of his party office bearers would be held on January 4 to discuss ways and means of strengthening the organisation ahead of the Lok Sabha election.

Singh said his meeting with the prime minister should not be given political colour and felt a mountain was being made out of a molehill.

He said his party was at present a coalition partner in the Uttar Pradesh government and its support to Mulayam Singh Yadav-led government would continue.

The RKP leader said he was overwhelmed by the enthusiasm among the BJP workers over his presence at the function to celebrate the Prime Minister's birthday.

"The manner in which the workers greeted me was like the one accorded by family members to someone close returning to them," he said.

Almost 90 per cent of the workers present at the function were those who had joined the party during his time in BJP and their excitement could well be understood, Singh said.

Singh said he had never made any personal attack on the prime minister in the past and his criticism was only aimed at the BJP's policies.

Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh refused to comment on the possibility of Singh's return to BJP.

While repeatedly saying "no comments" to questions on the issue, the SP leader said, "Kalyan Singh is an important leader and ally ... his party is part of our government in the state. We have so far heard nothing to show that he is against our government."

He parried questions as to what 'compulsions' could have prompted Kalyan Singh to greet Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. "Even I had sweets with Vajpayee today. I greeted him on his birthday... I also touch his feet as he is not only the Prime Minister but an elder. That doesn't signify anything political."