In an effort to negate the impression of a ‘‘tacit understanding’’ between them, both the BJP and the ruling Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh are now trying to send out the message that there is no understanding between them and that both have ideological and political differences that can never be bridged.The BJP — which had so far been lying low and was charged by its own party workers of not playing the role of Opposition — today announced an ‘‘aggressive opposition’’ beginning with the submission of a memorandum highlighting the non-performance of the Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav government on all fronts to Governor Vishnu Kant Shastri.‘‘The memorandum is the first move to highlight the government’s failure in running the state and the party will go ahead with the agitation plans till the present government either mends its ways or quits,’’ said state BJP chief Vinay Katiyar. Katiyar has already claimed that the government’s days are numbered and that it would collapse by April.Towards this end, BJP’s women wing will stage a demonstration holding belans (rolling pins) at the main crossings of the state capital and later submit a memorandum to the Governor on January 13, while the party MPs and MLAs will stage similar protests on January 19 and 23.Denying any sort of understanding between the two parties, SP general secretary Amar Singh said: ‘‘A false campaign is being made to project us as pro-NDA and the RSS is leading that exercise. Will someone tell us that if the SP is not fighting against forces of communalism in the state, then who is?.’’Responding to Katiyar’s comment that the present government’s days were numbered, Singh said: ‘‘What can I say to such baseless comments. The government is running in the state properly and there is no threat to its longevity. Leaders like Katiyar were had claimed that the Mayawati government would complete its full tenure. We all know what happened to that government.’’The BJP, on its own part, has lost credibility among its party cadres who started blaming the state party leadership for being too soft on the Mulayam government. Opposition leader Lalji Tandon had to face tough remarks from his own party leaders when they said that the BJP had failed to prove itself as the Opposition.‘‘We have blown the bugle of protest and now will not sit idle till this government either mends its ways or quits. The law and order situation is at its lowest, farmers are yet to get their dues on cane while sugar mills are being leased out to private firms. Are these not enough examples of bad governance? And the BJP has decided to expose the failures of the present government,’’ said incharge of BJP affairs in the state Kalraj Mishra.
