The Hindu : National : Opposition may rephrase motion to focus on Lalu's statement

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Tuesday, Aug 23, 2005

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National

Opposition may rephrase motion to focus on Lalu's statement

Special Correspondent

A Minister saying that a Governor is his appointee is unprecedented: BJP

NEW DELHI: : The Opposition has given notice for another adjournment motion, on the transfer recommendation involving Bihar Governor Buta Singh.

It is likely to "re-phrase" the notice to focus on the statement attributed to Railway Minister and Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad that the Governor was his nominee.

On Sunday Santosh Gangwar, V.K. Malhotra and Sushil Modi (Bharatiya Janata Party MPs) and Prabhunath Singh (Janata Dal-United) issued notices for an adjournment motion.

On Monday they were informally told that it would be difficult to accept the motions involving the conduct of a Governor.

In this context, Mr. Malhotra hinted that they were likely to "re-phrase" the motions to focus on Mr. Lalu Prasad. "We will ask for suspension of question hour and zero hour tomorrow [Tuesday]." The Opposition would be within its right to vociferously demand acceptance of the motions, as it was "unprecedented for a Minister to say that a Governor is his appointee."

Reports from the RJD suggest that Mr. Prasad's remark may not be entirely innocuous or casual. Some leaders, from both sides of the political fence, have suggested that Mr. Prasad may in fact want a change in the Patna Raj Bhavan.

At a meeting of National Democratic Alliance leaders on Monday the recent serial explosions in Bangladesh and the exchange of fire on the Bangladesh-West Bengal border were discussed. It was noted that even the West Bengal Government expressed fears that terrorist activities could spread from Bangladesh to Bengal and Assam, Mr. Malhotra told newsmen. "The NDA felt that the Government needed to take strong action."

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