Lucknow: BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) general secretary Rajnath Singh was on October 24 rushed by the party leadership to Lucknow to defuse the stand off between the dissident party legislators in Uttar Pradesh and state leaders on the saffron party's ties with the Mayawati government.

Senior leaders Lalji Tandon, state party president Vinay Katiyar and former state party chief Kalraj Mishra held parleys with the dissidents till late last night (Oct 23) to break the deadlock but they remained adamant on their demand that the party pull out of the Mayawati government and extend support to it from outside just as BSP (Bahujan Samaj Party) was doing at the Centre.

In a bid to end the stalemate, former chief minister Rajnath Singh is arriving at Lucknow, party sources said.

The dissidents, on the other hand, were reportedly holding a meeting at an unknown place to chalk out their strategy.

They (dissidents) did not want to disclose the place of their meeting as Katiyar had reached the venue where they were holding their meeting on October 23, one of the dissident legislator said on condition of anonymity.

Despite the 24-hour ultimatum given to the dissidents "to mend their ways", the state BJP leadership continued its effort to placate them throughout on October 23.

Though the dissidents claimed that show cause notices were served on four of them, Katiyar said no disciplinary action was taken and only "some letters" were given.

A senior BJP leader, on anonymity told reporters that the dissidents were not ready to budge from their demands and the talks held with them had failed.

Though Rajnath Singh was arriving, any hope for a rapproachment appeared remote and disciplinary action was now imminent, he said.

He said dissidents were claiming support of 32 MLAs but their number was around 14 comprising 10 MLAs and four MLCs.

PTI