Yogi to field own nominees in East UP; BJP hopeful of settlement

Lucknow/Gorakhpur, Mar 27 (UNI) BJP Gorakhpur MP Yogi Adityanath today announced to field his ''own'' Hindu Mahasabha candidates in 14 districts of eastern UP.

Yogi made the announcement in Gorakhpur after about a week-long negotiations with the party leadership in New Delhi.

Displaying his dipleasure over the way BJP treated him, the Gorakhpur MP declared to field 72 candidates of his outfit Hindu Mahasabha.

A stunned UP BJP unit, however, put up a brave face with its senior leader and party's projected Chief Ministerial candidate Kalyan Singh saying this decision was not 'final'. ''All efforts would be made to prevent a division of Hindu votes and the Central leadership would definitely hold further talks with Yogi Adityanath to defuse the crisis,''Mr Singh told UNI in Lucknow this evening.

He said the BJP had the highest regards for Yogi Adityanath and his concern for Hindus. ''Even Yogi would not like the division of Hindu votes in the present circumstances when the BJP is poised well to regain power,'' he said.

Yogi Adityanath, who was disgruntled over the distribution of ticket on some seats in Eastern part of the state, had resigned from the party only to rescind his decision after his talks with the party leaders L K Advani and Ram Lal.

In a sudden turn of events today, Yogi made the announcement much to the embarassment of the party.

Mr Kalyan Singh said the party leadership would try to placate Yogi Adityanath to contest coming Uttar Pradesh asmebly polls unitedly for the welfare of Hindus as well as the entire population of the state.

The Gorakhpur MP, successor of the much-revered Hindu peeth of Gorakhnath, has his following in the areas surrounding Gorakhpur in eastern belt of the state.

UNI