HVK Archives: Mayawati enjoys honeymoon with BJP: to hand over rule
Mayawati enjoys honeymoon with BJP: to hand over rule - The Observer
Prajnan Bhattacharya
()
24 July 1997
Title: Mayawati enjoys honeymoon with BJP: to hand over rule
Author: Prajnan Bhattacharya
Publication: The Observer
Date: July 24, 1997
"I am enjoying working with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and even their
MLAs are more comfortable with me," Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati
said when asked about her relations with the coalition partner.
In an exclusive interview to The Observer of Business and Politics, the
Chief Minister, reiterating her commitment to hand over the chair to BJP
leader Kalyan Singh for the next six months, said that once a commitment
was made, it should be honoured and "the Bahujan Samaj Party will do the
same. "
When asked about the possibility of a national alliance with the BJP, the
BSP vice-president said that her party would assess the functioning of Mr
Kalyan Singh and that alone would decide the fate and longevity of the
coalition. If it was satisfactory, the alliance could be extended at
national level too, she observed.
On Manuvaad, Ms Mayawati felt that the BSP was not against Manu, but it was
against Manuvaad. "The fight is not against any individual, but against a
system which forces others to suffer. This is a war against a concept and
thought," she stressed.
The BSP wanted an equal society, where every citizen had equal rights and
their social status, too, was equal, Ms Mayawati said, adding that her
struggle was against casteism and not against any caste in particular.
A section of the people suffered a lot due to their caste, which had to be
changed by all means to push them forward, she said, adding that equality
for everyone was the only goal of her party.
The Chief Minister said that the woes, complaints and grievances of the
coalition partner must be redressed with sympathy. This had created faith
and removed the remote possibility of confusion, which was the secret of a
successful coalition, Ms Mayawati said, adding that she was doing the same
to protect the coalition. She said that she had to spare more time for the
BJP MLAs than her own party members.
"The BJP is assessing my functioning now and I will do the same during Mr
Kalyan Singh's tenure," Ms Mayawati said.
Commenting on the deteriorating situation during the President's rule, the
Chief Minister said the State was facing complete anarchy. She said that
even the officials were entrusted with protecting the interests of criminals.
"When the officials protect criminals, it becomes impossible to maintain
law and order, and that was exactly what happened during the President's
rule," Ms Mayawati alleged and claimed that she had great difficulty in
controlling the mismanaged situation. But, now the law and order situation
was perfect and the officials had been given strict orders to maintain law
and order without any neglect, she asserted.
"I want a change in the existing administrative system, which is biased and
ineffective. This needs a will and the BSP-BJP coalition Government in
Uttar Pradesh has that," she said.
On development, the Chief Minister said that her review meetings were a
grand success, adding that she planned to start another round of review
meetings after the budget session of the assembly was over.
She felt that her review meetings with each and every commissionary not
only gave a boost to the development process and the morale of the honest
officers, but also gave a jolt to the incompetent and corrupt ones. There
was a need to review the progress, each and every time, she said.
The Chief Minister was in a jolly mood and spoke freely on several issues.
Regarding the June 2, 1995, Mira Bai guest house case, she said that it was
a plot to kill her but the culprits failed in that. Regarding the cases
against Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav in this connection, the
BSP leader said that he had been creating confusion regarding the lower
court decision.
Ms Mayawati said that she and her Government would fight out Mr Mulayam's
every evil design. He was a dangerous political leader, Ms Mayawati charged.
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