New Delhi: With the stand-off between ruling BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) and its ally BSP (Bahujan Samaj Party) in Uttar Pradesh persisting, a meeting between Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani and Chief Minister Mayawati has been scheduled for removing the irritants between the parties.

BJP president M Venkaiah Naidu told reporters that Advani and Mayawati will discuss evolving a system by which there could be regular consultations between the two parties to iron out the issues between the two parties.

This will be preceded by a meeting between BJP leaders from UP and its central leadership on the Deputy Prime Minister's return from foreign tour.

"There is need for regular interaction so as to avoid airing views publicly. For this, BJP is thinking in terms of consultation with top BSP leadership as we want to work out a system," Naidu said.

He said this interaction was necessary so that there is proper coordination between both parties as they are coalition partners.

The latest sticky point in BJP-BSP leadership is the saffron party's state leadership's vehement opposition to Mayawati government's slapping of POTA (Prevention of Terrorism Act) against jailed independent MLA Raja Bhaiya.

BJP leaders including party general secretary Rajnath Singh and UP unit president Vinay Katiyar have opposed the arrest of Raja Bhayya and his father under POTA.

The BJP central leadership's willingness to persist with BSP appears to be guided mainly by the prospect of general elections in 2004 in a politically key state which sends 85 members to Lok Sabha.

PTI