Kalyan Singh re-enters BJP, sets tongues wagging

Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Kalyan Singh's decision to join active politics and re-enter the BJP after completing his five-year tenure as governor of Rajasthan has triggered many speculations about his role in the saffron party in the state.

Singh, during whose tenure as chief minister the disputed structure had been demolished at Ayodhya by thousands of 'karsevaks',  will be re-joining the BJP at a time when the Supreme Court is hearing the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title suits on a daily basis with expectations of an early verdict in the matter.

According to the UP BJP sources here, Singh would take membership of the saffron party here on Monday.

Singh, who hails from the powerful and electorally influential 'Lodh' (an OBC) community, would be accorded a rousing reception by the BJP workers. A large number of his supporters have already descended on the state capital from the 'Lodh' dominated constituencies in Etah and Bulandshahar districts in the western region.

''Kalyan Singh is a senior leader...it is up to him to decide about his future role in the party....he is known for his hardcore hindutva ideology,'' said a senior state BJP leader while speaking to DH here.

Singh was also an accused in the Babri Masjid demolition case along with many other senior saffron party leaders, including Murli Manohar Joshi, L.K.Advani and Uma Bharti. He could not, however, be summoned during his tenure as the governor of Rajastahn as he enjoyed immunity from prosecution.

''He will now have to face the court,'' said the BJP leader.

State BJP leaders were of the view that Singh's return to the party fold would only ''consolidate'' the 'Hindutva' forces in the state and ''benefit'' the saffron party in the state.