The Hindu : National : BJP claims ``moral victory,'' may not disrupt House

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Mar 09, 2005

National

National

BJP claims ``moral victory,'' may not disrupt House

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, MARCH 8. The Bharatiya Janata Party today said that as it had achieved a ``moral victory'' in Jharkhand, "as the events after a National Democratic Alliance delegation met the President, A.P. J. Abdul Kalam," showed, the Alliance MPs would participate in the debate on the motion of thanks in Parliament to place their view on the Manmohan Singh Government before the people.

The BJP Parliamentary party spokesperson, V.K. Malhotra, said that owing to the "moral victory," the NDA members would probably not think it necessary to stall Parliament proceedings.

Although a decision is likely to be taken tomorrow ahead of the start of the Parliament proceedings, there were enough indications today that the NDA will not continue its disruptive tactics.

Having disrupted the entire first Budget session last July, the BJP is aware that it cannot afford to continue the "negative tactics."

Naqvi's questions

The BJP vice-president, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, today posed several questions to the Congress and the United Progressive Alliance leaders.

Were two Union Ministers positioned in Ranchi not "guiding the Governor'' on the basis of ``directions they had received from Delhi?"

How could the Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, distance herself from the happenings in Jharkhand?

Why did the Jharkhand Governor not independently verify the support by 42 MLAs claimed by the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha chief, Shibu Soren, before inviting him to lead the government?

Why was this verification done individually with the five MLAs (outside the NDA) who were supporting Arjun Munda as their leader?

Had not the Nationalist Congress Party MLA given letters of support to both the NDA and the UPA?

And did not Mr. Soren issue advertisements in Ranchi newspapers thanking the Congress president for making him Chief Minister?

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