Paswan wins over former BSP leader

Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) chief and Union minister Ramvilas Paswan today received a shot in the arm when prominent Madhya Pradesh Dalit leader Phul Singh Baraiya joined his party here.

Baraiya, who was a Bahujan Samaj Party leader, had broken off from Mayawati's party to form the Samata Samaj Party (SSP), which today merged with the LJP in the presence of Paswan.

The LJP president told reporters that all units and frontal organisations of the SSP merged with his party to give LJP a strong footing in Madhya Pradesh.

The move will create a problem for the BSP in the state, as Baraiya is considered a powerful Dalit leader.

Madhya Pradesh has been a great white hope for the BSP. Now that Paswan has won over Baraiya, it may be difficult for the BSP to come to an understanding with the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) in Madhya Pradesh.

The Congress has done considerable work among Dalits in Madhya Pradesh, spearheaded by former Chief Minister Digvijay Singh. Now, with Paswan making forays in Madhya Pradesh, he could become a threat to the Congress-Dalit consolidation in the state. Paswan honoured Baraiya by appointing him as LJP's senior national vice-president.

The LJP leader, who had quit the National Democratic Alliance government in the wake of the Gujarat riots, said former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee was now realising that the BJP had lost because of Gujarat.