Dissidents apporached me to form separate group: Gaur

Bhopal, Sep 3 (UNI) Madhya Pradesh Excise Minister Babulal Gaur today disclosed that some of the so-called BJP dissidents had approached him to form a ''separate group'' within the ruling party to ''protect their interests.'' Talking to newspersons here, Mr Gaur, however, said he had refused to oblige them saying that any such act would encourage factionalism and weaken the party and have adverse impact on its prospects in the next year's assembly elections.

He also declined to name those had had contacted him for a separate group but said most of them were aspirants of ministerial berths. They had desired to forge a united front to evolve a common strategy to fight against any injustice, as individual actions would not achieve the desired result.

Mr Gaur, who relinquished Chief Ministership to pave way for Mr Shivraj Singh Chouhan to take over the reins of the state two years ago, admitted that the recent ministry expansion and portfolio reshuffle had given rise to ''disappointment'' among a number of party MLAs and outburst by some of them indicated their anguish.

''Though it is the sole discretion of the Chief Minister to select his ministerial team and allocate portfolios to them, this right should be exercised with utmost care to avoid bitterness,'' Mr Gaur felt.

''The Chief Minister should show respect to his colleagues, particularly the seniors, and hold consultations before effecting portfolio changes,'' he asserted.

Expressing ignorance over the factors responsible for stripping him of the Industries portfolio, he said, ''I fail to understand why I have been humiliated for doing a good job.'' He claimed that his timely action prevented shifting of Bina Refinery from Madhya Pradesh. Besides, he said his efforts had helped in securing investment offers of nearly Rs 1.80 lakh crore from domestic and overseas markets.

He regretted the manner in which he had been divested of the department of industries on the eve of the Global Investors Meet.

Besides, he said he had failed to understand the logic behind depriving him of the Gas Relief Department, to which as MLA from Bhopal, he had been closely associated since long.

He supported former minister Uma Shankar Gupta's threat to resort to hunger strike over various issues relating to the state capital, including what he called the deterioration in law and order situation.

According to party sources, several party legislators, including Mr Jagannath Singh, Mr Lavkesh Singh, Mr Dhal Singh Bisen, Mr Lal Singh Arya, Mr Kailash Chawla besides Mr Uma Shankar Gupta had expressed their resentment for non-inclusion in the ministry.

''Some of them wonder why loyalty to the party has taken a back seat in the allocation of portfolios. Those who were suspended for anti-party activities but returned to take cabinet berth have been rewarded with important portfolios,'' sources added.

UNI