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Khurana says he is not 'anti-Sangh Parivar'

Madan Lal Khurana, who quit the Union Cabinet and the Bharatiya Janata Party's national executive on Saturday, categorically stated today that he had ''no intention of floating any new party''.

''I am a disciplined party worker. I am with the BJP and would continue to be so,'' he told the media at his residence.

Asserting that he had not resigned under any pressure, Khurana said, ''The prime minister may have been under some pressure to accept my resignation.''

Asked who could have put pressure on Vajpayee, he said, ''You better ask him.''

The former parliamentary affairs and tourism minister said he had not taken the step in a hurry and had no regrets.

''The step has been taken for a cause after due consideration. I have been receiving phone calls, telegrams and letters from different parts of the country appreciating my decision. Many Christians and minority community members have conveyed that their attitude towards the BJP had changed for the positive after my decision to resign for the cause of the minorities,'' he claimed.

Khurana said he would decide his future course of action after consulting his well-wishers.

Khurana said he was neither a dissident nor ''anti-Sangh Parivar. What I am today is only because of the Sangh Parivar and the party.''

He said he had resigned to refurbish the image of the government and the party which had received a bashing after the Gujarat and Orissa incidents.

Khurana said he had his own style of functioning that is aggressive. ''I never comprise with circumstances,'' he added.

He denied having ever said that the Bajrang Dal was behind the recent killing of the Australian missionary and his two sons in Orissa. What he said yesterday was that a home ministry official had told him that the main accused Dara Singh was a Bajrang Dal activist and he had worked for the BJP in the last elections.

Replying to questions, he said the prime minister himself had told him to ignore media reports that his portfolios were being changed. On January 13 night, he (Vajpayee) had discussed in detail the schedule for the Budget session with him and thereafter called a meeting with leaders of all parties to discuss the agenda, Khurana said.

''If Vajpayee had any plans to change my portfolio, why should he discuss the agenda for the Budget session with me?'' he asked.

Had there been a choice for portfolios he would have opted the urban development ministry because the Delhi Development Authority was under it and he would have expedited clearance for the pending projects relating to Delhi.

UNI

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