The merger of former UP chief minister Kalyan Singh’s Jan Kranti Party into the Bhartiya Janata Party will take place with much fanfare here on January 21 at the “Atal Shankhnaad Rally” that will also kick off the party’s election campaign for the next Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh.
The rally, which is likely to be attended by top national and state BJP leaders, is also aiming at a show of strength by different leaders who are eyeing for a bigger role in state politics.
State BJP president Dr Laxmikant Bajpai has been holding meetings and touring the state to mobilize support for the rally from all corners of the state.
While Mr Kalyan Singh will not formally join the BJP due to technical reasons, his son Rajvir Singh will be welcomed into the party fold with much fanfare.
“There is a difference in Kalyan Singh’s homecoming this time because the need is mutual. The BJP does not have a leader of stature left in Uttar Pradesh and Kalyan Singh is desperate to establish his son in politics. Both, BJP and Kalyan have tried out other options and have failed. Even Uma Bharti could not make a difference to the party’s fortunes and the party now wants to return to aggressive Hindutva in Uttar Pradesh under the leadership of Kalyan Singh,” said a senior BJP MP.
The Bhartiya Janata Party, sources said, will embark on the exercise of short-listing candidates for the next LS elections after the rally and Mr Kalyan Singh will play a key role in this though he has been asked to remain “slightly more flexible” than last time (when he stomped out of the party to protest against a LS ticket to Ashok Pradhan).
The BJP has said it plans to finalise its candidates for the LS polls by April so that candidates get sufficient time to campaign.