When PM files papers, dress city in mourning

There will also be no welcome arches along the PM’s 2-km route, the idea being that the party should present a picture of mourning and not of joy that day.

Mahajan met state party leaders at the VVIP guest house and later went to the state BJP headquarters to apprise the leaders there about the changed plan for nomination. The stampede, sources said, had deeply upset and also angered the Prime Minister. ‘‘There will be no beating of drums during the nomination of the PM by the BJP workers,’’ said former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Kalyan Singh.

Meanwhile, pressure is being exerted on the BJP and also the Mulayam government from political parties and social groups for taking stern action against Tandon. The Mahanagar police have registered a case against the event organisers and said that raids were conducted to arrest them.

While Brinda Karat, chairperson of the All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA) burnt an effigy of Tandon outside the Assembly today and demanded that he should be arrested, the Congress raised a similar demand and asked the Mulayam government to act.

As for Mulayam himself, his virtual clean chit to Tandon and his statement that ‘‘no political angle’’ should be given to the tragedy are fuelling speculation over his relationship with the NDA.

The BJP further added to his woes when Kalyan Singh said today that ordering a commissioner-level inquiry into the incident by the Mulayam government was a justified decision. ‘‘The Congress is trying to draw political mileage out of the dead bodies of women killed during the stampede. There is no need for the BJP to own the moral or immoral responsibility for the mishap as the samiti which organises the event has nothing to do with the BJP,’’ said Kalyan.

This despite the fact that the samiti is run by Brijendra Murari Yadav, a former corporator and a member of the BJP.