Four years in exile after being expelled from the party and speaking against it, the BJP’s poster boy on Ayodhya, Kalyan Singh, is back to toeing the official line.‘‘Hal apsi batcheet se hi sambhav hai (the solution is possible only through mutual negotiations),’’ said Kalyan, chatting up reporters at his official residence this evening.After his expulsion from the BJP in 1999, Kalyan had been claiming that the solution to the Ramjanmabhoomi issue would be acceptable only after the court verdict. With speculation that he would return to the BJP fold, state unit chief Vinay Katiyar dropped in at Kalyan’s around 9 am; the discussions lasted nearly 20 minutes.‘‘He (Vinay) was going to Ayodhya and sought to know if I could meet him before he starts for the parliamentary constituency he represents, I said okay. We had some tea,’’ said Kalyan, refusing to divulge what transpired at the meeting.‘‘There was nothing political in our meeting but political connotations are bound to be attached when two leaders meet,’’ Katiyar told The Indian Express. Katiyar was the first BJP leader to officially meet Kalyan after Pramod Mahajan along with Deenanath Mishra and Balbir Punj had an elaborate meeting with him in the state capital on Wednesday afternoon.Kalyan claimed the BJP was trying to send out a message that they were honestly trying to find a solution to the issue and fresh efforts have already been made towards finding a mutually acceptable formula. ‘‘This is the first time talks are being held for finding the solution to the issue and a Muslim body (read Ayodhya Jama Masjid trust) is also party to that exercise. Even Deputy PM L.K.Advani has said earlier that solution to the issue was possible only through mutual talks,’’ he said.Kalyan has kept the guessing game going, refusing to say anything on his returning to the BJP fold. ‘‘It’s time for ending old political relations and making new ones. Lekin waqt ke pehle koi kam nahin hota hai (But nothing happens before time),’’ he said.There’s one BJP punchline he doesn’t share, though — feel good factor. ‘‘That factor is hardly known to 1.5 per cent of the people but it hints at the sentiment prevailing. The next general election will be centred on good governance and development. One party will claim that it has provided the good governance and carried out developmental jobs while others will deny it,’’ he said.
