Tightrope: Maya flips, lands

BJP members in the Vidhan Sabha today found themselves squirming in their seats when Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati, while mourning t...

BJP members in the Vidhan Sabha today found themselves squirming in their seats when Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati, while mourning the death of Lok Sabha Speaker G.M.C. Balyogi, also paid tribute to the dead in Gujarat.

Ironically, in her first press conference after taking over as the Chief Minister, the BSP leader had given a clean chit to Narendra Modi saying the Godhra incident in which the karsevaks were burnt to death, triggered violence elsewhere in the state. She had demanded that the people behind Godhra be arrested.

This time around she thought she would assuage the 14 Muslim MLAs of her party who were yesterday rapped by the SP for joining hands with the BJP which they alleged was behind the killings. Having no defence they remained silent spectators in the House.

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The Opposition of course didn’t let the opportunity slip by them. They promptly joined hands and lashed out at the Sangh Parivar holding them responsible for massacres in that state. At the top of their voice, they demanded Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi be sacked.

Opposition leader Azam Khan said the killings in Gujarat by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal activists had embarrassed the nation. He said the killings must be condemned and the guilty punished.

Congress Legislature Party Leader Pramod Tiwari demanded action against the VHP and Bajrang Dal activists and Modi. Minorities were not safe under the BJP government, he said.

On the eve of the Trust vote today, she even said her party legislators would not attend the dinner organised by state BJP president Kalraj Mishra for BJP and BSP MLAs. Though Mayawati did not cite a reason for turning down the invitation, sources close to her said it was just to placate the Muslims.

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Mayawati has instead organised a dinner for party members at her residence tonight for which she has invited BSP national president Kanshi Ram, who is here to ensure she wins the Trust vote tomorrow.

Dinner diplomacy to keep coalition members together has been on since Monday when BJP Legislature Party Leader Rajnath Singh hosted a sumptuous dinner, followed by Lalji Tandon.