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Kalyan Singh suspended, likely to form a new party

Tara Shankar Sahay in New Delhi

Ousted Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Kalyan Singh, who was suspended from the Bharatiya Janata Party today on disciplinary grounds, is likely to announce the formation of a new party or platform in Lucknow tomorrow to pre-empt his imminent expulsion, sources in the Union home ministry said.

BJP president Shashikant 'Kushabhau' Thakre suspended Singh for his personal attack on Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and issued a show-cause notice, asking him to explain within a week why he should not be expelled.

Singh yesterday kept up his tirade against Vajpayee despite veiled hints by senior party colleagues that he should desist or face the consequences.

Singh's suspension, the sources pointed out, paves the way for his formation of a new party. Singh hinted as much to reporters in New Delhi today.

Following his suspension, the former chief minister told reporters that he would make an important announcement in Lucknow tomorrow. For good measure, he added that he was not through criticising the prime minister whom he squarely held responsible for his ouster.

According to the sources, Kalyan Singh spoke to Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh on the telephone this evening. While what transpired is not know, Kalyan Singh is believed to have told Yadav that he had decided to part ways with the saffron brotherhood and form his own outfit.

Kalyan Singh also spoke on the telephone with senior opposition politicians like former prime minister H D Deve Gowda and Communist Party of India (Marxist) Harkishen Singh Surjeet.

Meanwhile, in Lucknow today, the news of Kalyan Singh's suspension was greeted with loud slogans of support from his followers. One BJP legislator said, "As many as 70 party legislators are ready to join the ousted CM if he parts ways with the BJP."

Political observers in New Delhi said the BJP has a major problem on its hands in Uttar Pradesh now. But Chief Minister Ram Prakash Gupta continued to claim bravely that the situation was under control and nothing would happen to his government.

The BJP leadership, including Vajpayee, Home Minister Lal Kishenchand Advani, party general secretary K N Govindacharya, Thakre and others, met in the capital late tonight to take stock of the situation.

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