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BJP papers over Khurana's rebellion

Tara Shankar Sahay in New Delhi

A rattled BJP leadership will summon party MP Madan Lal Khurana to explain why he released to the media his letter to the prime minister accusing the government of taking economic decisions under pressure from the US.

Top BJP functionaries told rediff.com that "Khurana is a senior party MP and his charges are something the leadership finds hard to digest."

Consequently, they indicated, Khurana maybe summoned to explain his letter to the prime minister, which was sent despite the the consumer affairs and PDS minister Shanta Kumar giving his reasons for the hike in the price of PDS foodgrains.

In his letter, Khurana has alleged that the price hike was effected under pressure from the World Trade Organisation and the World Bank. He said the government's response to the letter written by the US commerce secretary on December 16 last year, calling for removing the import ban on 1429 items, has had a crippling effect on the Indian small-scale and farm sectors.

BJP vice-president Jagdish Prasad Mathur pointed out, "If the price hike issue is exercising the mind of our party members and coalition partners, it does not mean that there is a rebellion. We will find out the facts and settle the matter amicably, there is nothing more to it."

Mathur's sentiments were echoed by the ever-combative party spokesman M Venkaiah Naidu as well.

"Shanta Kumar has explained why the rollback cannot be done and there is sound logic in his explanation. In fact, by doubling of PDS quota of foodgrains to 20 kg from 10 to each deserving family, will help it save Rs 37," he contended.

But despite the government's defence by BJP leaders, it can scarcely ignore the fact that Khurana is already in touch with several party MPs who have not been convinced by Shanta Kumar's explanation.

"Yes, our party members are agitated over the manner in which the price hike of the PDS foodgrain has been done and the subsidies cut. After all, we, as the people's representatives in Parliament, have to protect their interests and we feel we have a good case on this against the government's action," Khurana told rediff.com.

Party MP Vinay Katiyar said the government's explanation on the price hike issue "has left us cold". He said, "Go and see in villages what the poor people are saying about the price hike. They simply don't have the money. The government may pat itself on the back but the reality is that the price hike is an assault on the poor people."

Katiyar pointed out that coalition partners like Sudip Bandyopadhyay (Trinamul), Prabhunath Singh (Samata Party) and Devendra Prasad Yadav (JD-U) had called for a meeting of "like-minded MPs on the price hike issue" and "we are determined not to give up without a fight."

Significantly, the BJP leadership is aware that coalition leaders like Sharad Yadav, Mamta Banerjee and George Fernandes are extending 'underground' support to their MPs on the anti-price rise campaign but they cannot come out openly against it on account of being ministers.

"What do you think, if we are agitating against the price hike, our leaders in the government or outside it cannot be immune to what is happening," Prabhunath Singh pointed out. He contended, "There is no question of the government not effecting a rollback. It is a do-or-die situation for us. It will have to listen to our demands or be prepared for any eventuality," Singh said.

Singh is the second coalition partner leader after D P Yadav to assert that they will not let the government function if it does not effect a rollback.

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