Babulal Gaur is attacking his own regime in MP. What's he playing for?

Now, he is paying the party back. So much so that Chouhan is finding it hard to counter Gaur's salvos. He, in fact, entered the assembly only after Gaur left for Delhi. More worryingly for the chief minister, Gaur is hobnobbing with the anti-Shivraj camp in the party. He recently went to meet former finance minister Raghav Ji in Vidisha.

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Once a mainstay of the government, Raghav lost his ministerial berth after a CD purportedly "exposing" his "illicit affair" was made public. Raghav had to go to the jail and has remained in political wilderness since. After meeting Raghav, Gaur quipped, "Ghayal ka dard sirf ghayal hi samajh sakta hai (Only a wounded man can understand the pain of another wounded)."

Career over?

Gaur, 86, is by no means a political lightweight. He first entered the MP assembly after winning a bypoll to Govindpura seat in 1974. No one has managed to dislodge Gaur from this seat since. He first became a minister in 1990.

In 2002, Gaur was installed as the leader of opposition. His moment of glory came in August 2004 when he was elevated as chief minister following Uma Bharti's resignation in the wkae of her controversial Tiranga Yatra. Gaur was entrusted the chair on the condition that he would vacate it for Bharti as soon as the controversy had blown over. Gaur, however, reneged on this tacit pact, leading to a bitter feud with Bharti. It was left to the party top brass to find a compromise, under which Gaur resign in November 2005.

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Gaur was replaced as chief minister with Chouhan. Gaur was, however, adamant that he be made a minister. And he prevailed, despite the party's reluctance. He kept the job all these years in spite of many brushes with controversy.

Gaur has now set his eyes on Uttar Pradesh. He's nursing an ambition to become the neighbouring state's governor. Apparently, this is why he has taken on his own government in MP: he remarked in a lighter vein during assembly proceedings recently that he would quietly leave the assembly for Raj Bhawan in UP.

Gaur, a Yadav by caste, is aware that his party needs him only until the UP polls are held early next year. He is busy convincing the central leadership that his appointment as governor of UP, which has a substantial population of Yadavs, will benefit the BJP in the election. If his demand is not met, he has reportedly threatened, he will keep embarrassing the government in MP. Will he have his way?