BSP faceS an exoduS, SP, bJP are Set to benefit

15 BSP MLCs have already met the Samajwadi leadership for a ticket in the 2016 Legislative Council elections. 12 are in touch with the BJP.

The United Nations has issued a specific threat alert, warning about a possible attack on buildings housing Indian diplomats and nationals from other countries in Kabul, Afghanistan. The attack is likely to be carried out by terrorists wearing the Afghan Army uniform.

In an official communication that was sent to the Indian staff and citizens of other nationalities by the chief security officers of the multiple UN agencies working in Kabul on 24 June, the staff has been asked to remain vigilant. This newspaper has access to the official communication.

“Credible information warning of an increased likelihood of a complex attack on a government or international community facility by AGE (Anti government agencies) using ANSF (Afghan National Security Forces) uniforms and vehicles has been received. Please be especially vigilant over the next 5-7 days in these areas and avoid ANSF personnel and vehicles while moving around the city”, the communication reads. This communication was addressed by the security head of one of the UN agencies to staff members.

An Indian national working at a senior position in Kabul confirmed that a communication regarding the increase in the threat perception has indeed been received and the Indians have been asked to exercise extra caution.

In the past, a similar communication was sent to the UN staff in the first week of June that a red car filled with explosives was likely to be used to target government institutions. Just days after the alert, Kabul’s Parliament was attacked by at least seven gunmen with explosives and suicide vests in which 30 people were killed.

According to Haseeb Sediqi, a spokesman for Afghanistan’s intelligence agency, the National Directorate of Security, the preliminary investigations indicate the attack plan was hatched in Peshawar, Pakistan.

The Afghanistan intelligence agency has stated that Bilal, an ISI officer, helped Haqqani network operational commander Maulvi Sherin in the planning. The terrorists were provided about $75,000 for the execution of the attack on the Afghan legislative body.

The harder she tries, the more difficult it becomes for her to hold on to her vote bank — just like sand that slips through the fingers.

BSP president Mayawati may be putting up a brave front of reviving the Bahujan Samaj Party in Uttar Pradesh, but the fact is that the party is slowly but surely disintegrating.

According to highly placed sources, 27 of the 34 BSP MLCs (Members of Legislative Council) who had been elected through local bodies and whose term is coming to an end in January 2016, are all set to desert the BSP and move to greener pastures.

“In any case, elections through local bodies are a dicey affair and you cannot win them without the support of the ruling party. Why should we stay on in the BSP and lose the elections? We have already paid a ‘price’ for being in the BSP. Moreover, we were always treated as outsiders and as ad hoc members,” said one of the BSP MLCs.

Two BSP MLCs, Jayesh Prasad and Ramu Dwiwedi came out openly against their party this week when they es- corted the family of the slain journalist, Jagendra Singh, to Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav’s residence and got the family compensation and assurance of a fair probe into the case.

The two MLCs had played a crucial role in “brokering peace” between the state government and the journalist’s family. Ramu Dwiwedi said that the two wanted to help the journalist’s family and had, therefore, brought them to the CM’s residence.

It is noteworthy that all BSP leaders and legislators have been strictly directed by Mayawati not to meet the Chief Minister or any min- ister and to stay away from the ruling party. The meeting between the BSP MLCs and the Chief Minister is a clear signal of defiance in the party.

Sources claim that while 15 BSP MLCs have already met the Samajwadi leadership for a ticket in the 2016 Legislative Council elections, 12 are in touch with the BJP leadership.

“Getting re-elected is our priority and we will go with the party that gives us a ticket. The ruling party obviously has an advantage in these polls but the BJP is also on a strong wicket. The choice is between the SP and the BJP, while the BSP can count us out,” said another BSP MLC.

BSP leader Swami Prasad Maurya and state BSP president Ram Achal Rajbhar admitted that they had no information about their MLCs meeting the Chief Minister and said that they would probe the matter. A senior Samajwadi minister, on the other hand, admitted that not only the MLCs, even the MLAs from the BSP were keen on Samajwadi tickets for the 2017 Assembly elections.

“A number of them have contacted us and are even prepared to resign from their membership a year ahead of elections. We are working out to see how many we can accommodate because each constituency is different and we cannot annoy our own men,” the minister said.

State BJP leaders also confirmed that a number of BSP legislators had been contacting the party leadership and wanted tickets for the next Assembly elections.

“We are forwarding all such requests to the party leadership because we are not in a position to take such decisions on our own. The party leaders will finalise the matters at the appropriate time. The BSP days are over and Mayawati should realise it at the earliest,” said a state BJP leader.