The Hindu : Front Page : Bardhan accuses UPA government of horse-trading

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Monday, Jul 14, 2008
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Bardhan accuses UPA government of horse-trading

Gargi Parsai

Government using CBI as “political tool” against Mayawati: CPI
PM has a “single agenda” of pushing nuclear deal

NEW DELHI: The Communist Party of India on Sunday accused the United Progressive Alliance government of indulging in “horse-trading” to garner support for the confidence vote and of using the CBI as a “political tool” against BSP president Mayawati.

The CPI asserted that there was “no question” of any floor coordination with the Bharatiya Janata Party on the trust vote on July 22. “The communal BJP continues to be a grave danger to the secular democratic polity of our country. The CPI and the Left parties are determined to combat and frustrate their bid for power. We will vote according to our political outlook and what the BJP does is its concern. Let there be no scare on this score,” said party general secretary A.B. Bardhan after a two-day meeting of the national executive here. The meet concluded on Sunday.

Stating that there were “reports” about the manner in which the government was trying to “rig up” a majority for the trust vote, Mr. Bardhan said: “Tremendous horse-trading is on. The running rate is astronomically high, we learn. To remain in power, the ruling alliance is resorting to all manoeuvres. Even the CBI is being used to switch off and switch on its so-called investigations and to launch cases according to what will help them rig up a majority.” Condemning the filing of a counter-affidavit by the CBI in the Supreme Court against Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati in the “disproportionate assets” case, Mr. Bardhan said his party had contacted her. “She is opposed to the deal and has said that she would vote against the government on it,” he said, without specifying whether the Left would have an alliance with her.

Accompanied by D. Raja and S. Sudhakar Reddy, Mr. Bardhan told journalists that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had a “single agenda” of pushing the India-U.S. nuclear agreement. “He reached out to the Samajwadi Party a few months ago after it became clear that the Left parties would not support such an agreement.”

Earlier, the national executive “unanimously” endorsed the decision to withdraw support to the government on the nuclear deal, saying it was the “most logical and correct” step. “In fact some members felt the step should have been taken earlier. They were indignant about the way the Left was treated by the government.”

He said all 10 party MPs were asked to reach Delhi on July 20 for the trust vote on July 22. There would be a joint campaign of the Left from Monday against the nuclear deal, inflation and “anti-people” policies of the government. The national council would meet here from August 3 to 5.

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