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BJP-BSP leaders lock horns in U.P.

By Our Special Correspondent

LUCKNOW Dec. 27. The Bharatiya Janata Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party leaders in Uttar Pradesh have been involved in a fresh altercation over the Chief Minister, Mayawati's decision to name the proposed new district comprising the Amethi Lok Sabha constituency as Chatrapati Sahuji Maharaj Nagar.

After some BJP leaders had expressed their reservations on the issue, at least two BSP Ministers decided to issue statements criticising the stand. The Uttar Pradesh BJP president, Vinay Katiyar, has called a meeting of his party legislators to discuss the issue.

The two Ministers, Sukhdero Rajbhar and Lalji Verma, issued separate statements on Thursday criticising the BJP general secretary, Rajnath Singh, and the leader of the legislature group of the party, Lalji Tandon, for their views expressed against the proposed name of the new district and the transfer policy of the Chief Minister. Mr. Rajbhar advised Mr. Tandon to exercise restraint and follow the `dharma' of coalition.

Defending the spate of transfers ordered by the Chief Minister, Mr. Rajbhar said the action against the bureaucrats was taken in public interest. The Chief Minister had minutely examined the performance of the officers before orders had been issued to transfer them.

Mr. Rajbhar referred to the revolt among BJP legislators to stress that the party leaders had pressured the Chief Minister to transfer a large number of officers to control the conflict within the party. It was unfortunate that the same leaders were now talking of administrative instability in the State.

Mr. Lalji Verma took objection to the opposition by Mr. Rajnath Singh to name the new district after Chatrapati Sahuji Maharaj. The opposition by Mr. Rajnath Singh had put a question mark on his pro-backward caste credentials. Sahuji Maharaj was a great social reformer.

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