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BJP: prove majority before moving IAEA

Neena Vyas

NDA meeting today to discuss strategy to be adopted in the Lok Sabha

— Photo: V. Sudershan

BJP leaders (from left) Jaswant Singh, L.K. Advani, Rajnath Singh and Venkaiah Naidu during a meeting at Mr. Advani’s residence in New Delhi on Tuesday.

NEW DELHI: In the wake of the Left parties’ decision to withdraw support to the United Progressive Alliance government, the Bharatiya Janata Party, at a meeting of senior party leaders on Tuesday, discussed the strategy to be adopted in the Lok Sabha.

The meeting, convened by party president Rajnath Singh, was held at the residence of Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha L.K. Advani.

A resolution adopted at the meeting demanded an immediate session of Parliament and a trust vote by the government. It also said the government should not approach the International Atomic Energy Agency for India-specific safeguards before demonstrating its majority in the Lok Sabha.

A meeting of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) leaders has been convened on Wednesday evening where the BJP leadership is to discuss the party’s parliamentary strategy with allies.

The first task of the party managers is to keep the NDA intact when it comes to voting against the government. The second will be to try and shore up strength for the inevitable floor test by talking to some smaller parties with whom the BJP hopes to have alliance ahead of the next Lok Sabha election.

Mr. Rajnath Singh described the alliance between the Left and the UPA as “unholy and unnatural.” The Left decision was “belated,” he said adding that the Left had “intentionally and deliberately” delayed a decision to withdraw support.

BJP strategists said they would prefer a simple one-line trust vote, than a vote on the nuclear deal.

The trust vote would give the BJP an opportunity to attack the government on rising prices, agricultural crisis, worsening internal security scenario and revoking the decision on allotment of land to the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board.

On Tuesday, the BJP reacted quickly to some reports that the Akali Dal may be reluctant to bring down a government headed by a Sikh Prime Minister. Contacts were made with the Akali leadership, which quickly made it clear that the Dal would vote against the government.

Janata Dal (United) president Sharad Yadav said his party would do its best to ensure that the government is defeated on the floor of the Lok Sabha. He was also critical of the Prime Minister for raising the contentious issue of approaching the IAEA while on a visit abroad when it was not yet demonstrated at home that this move had majority support in Parliament.

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