The Hindu : National : NDA allies demand Modi's resignation

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Friday, Aug 12, 2005

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National

NDA allies demand Modi's resignation

Neena Vyas

NEW DELHI: : The allies of the Bharatiya Janata Party have begun demanding the resignation of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi sensing that the Congress would claim the high moral ground after the slew of "actions" it has taken in the wake of the Nanavati Commission debate in Parliament on the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.

Several MPs belonging to the Trinamool Congress, the Janata Dal (United) and the Biju Janata Dal on Thursday said on camera that Mr. Modi should resign without waiting for the findings of the Nanavati Commission on the Gujarat riots. Trinamool Congress MP Dinesh Trivedi, Biju Janata Dal MP Tathagat Satpathy and Janata Dal (United) leader Lallan Singh (who is considered close to Nitish Kumar, BJP-JD-U chief ministerial candidate for Bihar) were all one in saying that Mr. Modi should resign. "We have always stood firm against communalism. Narendra Modi should resign,"

`No need to wait'

Mr. Singh told some reporters even as he added that there was "no need to wait" for the Nanavati Commission findings on the Gujarat riots. Mr. Trivedi and Mr. Satpathy expressed the same sentiments.

However, BJP leaders privately agree that the party would have great difficulty trying to take a different stand on Gujarat. They say that they would "continue to defend Mr. Modi" as long as they can. "The question of his resignation would arise only if he is indicted by a Commission or a court," party spokesperson V.K. Malhotra said.

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