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Monday, Jul 28, 2008
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BJP launches nationwide campaign

Staff Reporter

Sushma Swaraj

NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party on Sunday launched a seven-day nationwide “bhanda phod” campaign to expose the “dubious means” used by the Congress-led UPA government to win the trust vote in Parliament.

Addressing a gathering here, BJP leader Sushma Swaraj said rallies would be held in different parts of the country from July 27 to August 2 to protest the “purchase” of MPs. She said the UPA government had bought the trust vote. “It was not a political victory. It was a suitcase victory and defeat of democracy,” she said.

Ms. Swaraj said after the Left parties withdrew support, the government entered into a secret pact with the Samajwadi Party that had earlier vehemently opposed the nuclear deal. “Suddenly the deal became of national interest to the Samajwadi Party,” she said, adding that then a list of MPs whose seats were lost due to delimitation was prepared and they were contacted.

The BJP leader alleged that 32 party MPs had conceded that they were contacted.

Ms. Swaraj praised three of the party MPs who when offered money for either abstaining or voting for the government decided to expose it. She also narrated the sequence of events leading up to the alleged advance payment of Rs.1 crore to the MPs.

The operation was captured using a hidden camera by a television channel that had promised to telecast it soon after the issue was raised in Parliament.

But that did not happen, said Ms. Swaraj, adding that the three MPs then showed the cash in the well of the House.

She demanded that the CD comprising details of the sting operation be made public.

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