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BJP stakes claim in Gujarat

Close on the heels of Gujarat Chief Minister Dilip Parikh's recommendation to Governor Krishnapal Singh that the assembly should be dissolved, the Bharatiya Janata Party has staked its claim to form the government.

BJP vice-president Kesubhai Patel and leader of opposition in the assembly Suresh Mehta met the governor this morning. Claiming majority in the house, the leaders urged the governor not to accept the state cabinet's recommendation.

According to a top BJP functionary, the party has told the governor that it enjoys the support of 94 MLAs -- 77 of the BJP, 16 of the ruling Rashtriya Janata Party and one independent -- in the 182-member house.

In another development, the ruling RJP has split, with state Revenue Minister Atmaram Patel claiming that he has formed a '20-strong' breakaway group.

Like Patel and the BJP, even the Congress has opposed the Parikh cabinet's recommendation. Parikh told the governor yesterday that the assembly and the Lok Sabha elections should be held simultaneously.

Congress legislature party leader Amarsinh Chaudhary and state party president C D Patel called on the governor yesterday and demanded the Parikh government's dismissal. They urged the governor to consult them before accepting the cabinet's recommendation as the government has been formed with their support.

''We have been apprehending such a move right from the day the Shankarsinh Vaghela government stepped down,'' Chaudhary told the media. Several leaders were furious that the Parikh government, which was formed with the Congress support, has not consulted them before taking the decision.

Congress sources said this was RJP supremo Shankarsinh Vaghela's gameplan to arrest dissidence in his own party. The move also hopes to bully the Congress into giving the RJP a better deal as far as seat-sharing in the forthcoming election is concerned.

Sources said the talks between the alliance partners had broken down as the Congress has been demanding a majority of the 26 Lok Sabha constituencies in the state.

By seeking simultaneous assembly elections, Vaghela feels that he could bargain for a higher share of assembly seats in lieu of Lok Sabha constituencies, the sources said.

''The governor has to accept the cabinet's recommendation as Parikh enjoys full support of the Congress,'' said Vaghela.

The governor is considering the cabinet's recommendation and has already apprised President K R Narayanan about the development.

EARLIER REPORTS:
Parikh sworn in as Gujarat CM

RJP stands by Vaghela, cocks a snook at Congress

Gujarat govt seeks vote of confidence on Tuesday

State govt totters past one-year mark

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