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No vacancy for PM post: Sharad Yadav

P. Sunderarajan

Sharad Yadav reiterates that JD(U) continues to be part of NDA
“Government acted only we raised the Swiss bank accounts issue”

NEW DELHI: Janata Dal (United) President Sharad Yadav on Saturday criticised the leaders of his ally, the Bharatiya Janata Party, who were projecting Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi for the Prime Minister post saying there was “no vacancy” for the top post.

Mr. Yadav, who is the convener of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance, said it did not augur well for the BJP to have some of its leaders naming Mr. Modi as the candidate for prime ministership after having projected Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha L.K. Advani for the post.

“There is no vacancy [for the post of Prime Minister]. The NDA has decided that Mr. Advani is its candidate,” Mr. Yadav said replying to questions at a press conference here.

“Who knows what will happen after 100 years. It is not necessary to say all these things now.”

Reiterating that the JD(U) continued to be part of the NDA in toto, Mr. Yadav expressed confidence that the alliance would emerge as the largest combine with the highest number of seats.

He, however, lauded the Left parties. “The [incumbent] United Progressive Alliance government would have gone to the dogs, but for the support of the Left parties. They helped the government to survive.”

Poll reforms

Mr. Yadav called for reforms in the poll process to ensure that voters exercised their franchise in a more simple and fair manner. “A large number of people do not have boxes to keep their photo identity card and other documents safely. Also, a lot of people keep migrating in search of jobs. The Election Commission should look at these issues and come out with a better method to ensure that these people were able to exercise their voting rights without any problem.”

Suggesting that an all-party meeting be called to discuss these issues after the polls, he echoed the statement of Mr. Advani that the polls could have been held earlier when the climate was more congenial.

Transparency

Referring to appointments to top posts in the Election Commission, the Central Bureau of Investigation and the courts, the JD(U) leader said they needed to be done in a more transparent manner with the involvement of the Leader of the Opposition.

On Swiss bank accounts, Mr. Yadav noted that the government was taking action only after the Opposition raised the issue. There was absolutely nothing wrong to raise the issue during the election.

At a separate press conference, Congress leader and Union Minister Renuka Chowdhury said the BJP had raised the Swiss bank account issue only because that party had no other issues.

“Why did they not do it, when they were in power?” It was the UPA government which had taken action, she said.

BJP general secretary Arun Jaitley declined comment on the issue. “The matter is in court. We do not want to comment,” he said.

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