UPA's Survival On 22nd July? And Aftermath

[acharya]

<b> We stand united: NDA</b>

Neena Vyas

“Nuclear deal is not in nation’s interest; UPA government must be voted out”

— Photo: Shanker Chakravarty

CHALKING OUT STRATEGY: BJP leader L.K. Advani and other NDA leaders (from left) Sukhbir Singh Badal(Akali Dal), Jaswant Singh and Rajnath Singh (BJP) and George Fernandes at a meeting with Chief Ministers and other leaders of the National Democratic Alliance-ruled States in New Delhi on Thursday.

NEW DELHI: Chief Ministers and senior leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance on Thursday declared they were united in their stand that the Manmohan Singh government must be defeated on the floor of the House.

They were meeting at the residence of Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha L.K. Advani.

Briefing correspondents, BJP general secretary Arun Jaitley asserted that the Akali Dal would stand solidly with the NDA and was an integral part of it.

Asked why that party did not issue a whip to its MPs to vote against the government, he said: “We do not probe why an ally has not issued a whip.”

The Chief Ministers of Rajasthan and Karnataka were not present at the meeting as they had to deal with pressing issues, Mr. Jaitley said. The Shiv Sena was represented by a few of its MPs, including Anand Geethe.

None of the NDA partners was with Mr. Jaitley when he addressed the press.

Mr. Jaitley said the trust vote was discussed in detail. There was consensus that the United Progressive Alliance government had failed on all fronts related to the economy, including agriculture and inflation, internal security and the nuclear deal, which was “not in the country’s interest.”

“We will take forward the political debate on the complete failure of leadership in the government, which has betrayed the people,” he said.

To a query whether the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha had agreed to vote along with the Opposition, he said: “When there is such development we will let you know.”

Asked about convicted MPs getting permission to vote, Mr. Jaitley, who is also a senior advocate, said: “If the relevant courts give the MPs permission to come out and vote, we do not want to say anything.”

Asked whether the numbers-related developments would affect the image of the Prime Minister’s Office if the government lost the trust vote, Mr. Jaitley said: “We do not want the PMO to become a bargaining counter.”

Earlier in the day, BJP leader M. Venkaiah Naidu presented to the media independent MP from Amroha in Uttar Pradesh Harish Nagpal, who has decided to vote against the government.