Thursday, March 17 2005 17:05 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Ranchi: The NCP (Nationalist Congress Party), an ally of the UPA (United Progressive Alliance), has taken a policy of 'wait and watch' before taking any action against its lone legislator in the State Kamlesh Singh for flouting the party whip by remaining absent during the vote of confidence of the Arjun Munda-led NDA (National Democratic Alliance) Government on March 15.

''Kamlesh Singh has not yet formally declared that he has joined the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party). He has also not yet taken oath as MLA. So, we cannot take any action against him at this point," NCP National general secretary Tariq Anwar told sources in Ranchi over phone from Delhi.

Anwar replied in the affirmative when asked whether Singh would attract the anti-defection law if he moved over to the NDA camp. ''He was elected on our ticket. As per the latest amendment to the law, there is no provision for defection.

"Merger with another party is possible only when two-thirds of legislators of a party agrees to the merger."

Singh, who took oath as a Minister in the Shibu Soren-led UPA Government, ran into a controversy after his name was announced for swearing-in the Arjun Munda Government on March 12.

Meanwhile, Singh, who is lodged at the Ranchi Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMs), could not be contacted. ''The doctor has just given him an injection and Kamlesh-ji is asleep," a man, identifying himself as Singh's bodyguard, said.

Refuting the BJP's claim that the entire State unit of the NCP, led by its president Dhruv Bhagat, has merged with it, Anwar said, "Bhagat was the ad-hoc president of an ad-hoc executive committee. That committee was also dissolved by our president Sharad Pawar on March 11. Therefore, it cannot be said that the NCP State committee has merged with the BJP."

Bhagat's decision to join the BJP was his 'personal choice', Anwar added.