<b>ADVANI GOT THE HINT THAT GOVT IS GOING TO SURVIVE: MEHBOOBA</b>
By GLOBEGATHER.COM NATIONAL NEWS BUREAU,21 JULY 2008
Exuding confidence that the UPA will win tomorrow's trust vote, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti today said senior BJP leader L K Advani got the hint in this regard when he said that the opposition was not to destabilise the Government but to defeat it.
"We are very hopeful...Advani has got the hint that the Government is going to survive. This is evident when he said that NDA is not to destablise the Government but to defeat it," Mehbooba, PDP's lone Lok Sabha MP, said here.
She said the UPA leadership was "very confident" about the victory in the trust vote.
Asked whether there were any contradiction in supporting the Congress at the Centre and opposing it in Jammu and Kashmir, she said the situation was "entirely different".
She claimed that former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad's deviation from the Common Minimum Programme and healing touch policy forced her party to take the extreme step of withdrawing support to the state government.
<b>'DEALERS' RUNNING GOVT, NUKE DEAL AGAINST INDIA'S INTEREST: BSP</b>
By GLOBEGATHER.COM NATIONAL NEWS BUREAU, NEW DELHI 21 JULY 2008
Charging the ''dealers'' of running the UPA government, the BSP today said it opposed the Indo-US nuke deal which the government was trying to rush and which would compromise the sovereignty and integrity of the country.
Mr Brajesh Pathak of the BSP said this while attacking Samajwadi Party for supporting the deal and the government. Participating in the debate in the Lok Sabha on the Confidence Motion moved by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, he said the people of the country were not taken into confidence before going for the nuke deal and it was aimed at making India subordinate to the US interests.
Charging that the government used the CBI to harass and press the BSP supremo and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati to get her support the nuke deal, he said it was condemned by all the parties.
He said the Left parties had taken the right step in withdrawing support to the government over the deal which would make India subservient to the US under the hyde act and also due to the US control over the Nuclear Supplier's Group. He also urged RJD president Lalu Prasad to leave the Railway Ministry and come out against the deal.
Wondering what was there in the deal that the UPA was even willing to risk the government, he said that even eminent scientists like P K Iyenger and Dr A Gopalakrishnan had opined that the deal was against the interest of India. Pointing out that nuclear power posed risks to environment and health of the people due to which even the US has reduced the number of nuclear reactors in that country, he wondered why then India wanted to spend crores of rupees for them. Reminding the harmful effects of Bhopal gas disaster, he said if any nuclear radiation leak happened, the consequences would be disasterous but it seemed that the government and the UPA were not taking any notice of it.
<b>BJP DEMANDS EXTENSION OF SESSION TO DEBATE CONFIDENCE MOTION</b>
By GLOBEGATHER.COM NATIONAL NEWS BUREAU, 21 JULY 2008
The BJP today demanded that the Lok Sabha session be extended by one more day to debate the confidence motion to be moved by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
The demand was raised by BJP leader V K Malhotra at a meeting of floor leaders convened by Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee for discussing the modalities of going through the business of the House.
A total of 12 hours has been allotted for discussion spread over two days. Today the House would sit at least till 2200 hours.
It was decided to meet again tomorrow to take a call on the issue, Malhotra said after the meeting.
The Speaker sought cooperation of the members in the smooth running of the House.
The meeting was attended among others by Sharad Pawar, Ramvilas Paswan, Ajit Singh, Basudeb Acharia, Yerran Naidu and Omar Abdullah.
<b> CPI(M) TO STRENGTHEN PROTEST AGAINST NUCLEAR DEAL</b>
By GLOBEGATHER.COM NATIONAL NEWS BUREAU,21 JULY 2008
The CPI(M) on 21 July said the party will strengthen protests against the Indo-US nuclear deal notwithstanding results of tomorrow's trust vote in the Lok Sabha.
"The Government had destroyed our trust on assurances of discussing the deal before going ahead with it. Now we will strengthen our protests if the Government still remains adamant about pursuing the deal after the trust vote," CPI(M) Politburo member Sitaram Yechury said.
Yechury also came down heavily on the nuclear deal stating the going ahead with the agreement would rob the country's people of their healthcare and educational facilities as extra funds would be required for nuclear power generators.
He underscored that the nuclear deal as "anti-people" and claimed that the excess amount could be used to finance 20,000 new public hospitals or a similar number of new colleges.
Speaking at a public demonstration today, organised by the Students' Federation of India (SFI) and the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), Yechury said agreeing to the Indo-US nuclear deal will deprive the country's millions of proper education and health facilities.
Citing huge disparity in cost of power generation from nuclear and other sources, he claimed that the Government would end up spending an excess of over Rs 16,00,000 crores for generating 20,000 mega watt power from nuclear sources.
"For producing every mega watt power from nuclear sources the expenditure will be around Rs 11,000 crores. When other sources of power generation, like flood water, natural gas and coal can produce power for not more than Rs 3,000 to 4,000 crores per mega watt," Yechury said.
"We agree with the Prime Minister that the country needs to generate additional 20,000 mega watt power, but when none of these resources are scarce in the country, then what is the need for going nuclear," Yechury said.
Ambani and Sonia are paying big amount to MPs, amount of money given to them is mind boggling. Sonia and Manmonhan had open mandi in Delhi, they had converted their house into KB Road. Its shame.
They are not ready to debate for more than 10 hours on this important deal. This is worst than emergency days. Now these lowlife had taken democracy cover to apply worst tricks. Most corrupt government on Earth.
If moron Singh still thinks he had moral authority to sit in PM office, i think its time had come he should gets his head checked or get admit to Shadara.
They don't remember Buta Singh episode, now next twenty years we will be hearing another Manmohan Singh bribery episodes.
So what can the opposition offer to those tempted by money? More power? Assured re-election seats? I still dont understand those six MPs from BJP. Whats the issue?
Among six MP's, three are sick (one Heart bypass), one abroad (Dharmendra knee surgery), 2 guju still in Modi hate wagon.
What MPs are doing, take money and run, when election will come they have to use other tactics, there is no guarantee that Moron Singh, Sonia gang will keep promise. I think surpise may come from DMK.
In case, COngress win, they will come out with heavy Muslim appeasement policy to overcome anti deal sentiments among Muslim. That will be most destructive for country. But hey, Sonia and Moron SIngh want to stay in power, country go to hell.
BJP revokes suspension of two MPs
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->BJP MP <b>Vallabhbhai Kathiria</b>, a former central minister who was suspended, offered unconditional apology this month for his anti-party activities and was taken back in the BJP.
The party also revoked the suspension of <b>Babubhai Kataria</b>, an MP who was arrested last year trying to smuggle out a woman and her son to Canada in an immigration scam and is now languishing in jail.
Meanwhile, another rebel refused to comment which side he would support.
"I will let you know tonight whether I will vote for the NDA," said <b>Somabhai Patel</b>.
Patel said he has not yet decided on the vote. "There is still a whole day tomorrow," Patel said.
The Koli leader who represents the Surendranagar constituency has vowed vengeance for his personal humiliation by Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I read somewhere that Dharmendra is back on a plane to get to vote from LA where he had his surgery. As to the by-pass candidate he was being reviewed by the doctors. Its the 2 Guju Mps who seem to be under misapprehension. When UPA can mobilize jail birds to vote, its seems incomprehensible for NDA to not pull all the stops.
The point is UPA will do what it takes to win the vote. And others have to do what it takes to also defeat it. Ambani etc are excuses. The others are doing the max they can to get the vote to defeat it. Rebel INC guys have crossed over. THe Left and BSP are moving heaven and earth. Amybe its psy-ops from DDM but it looks like NDA should do more. In afact its the cow blet that is doing what it takes to get rid of UPA. Meanwhile BT is sitting in his adda and allowing his folks to cross vote! Recall he had all the time to harass people from otusdie the state who contribute to the economic pie in Mumbai.
At the end, is this right thing to do, bribe or bring criminals etc? This is first sign of how rot is Indian political system? Why it is acceptable to bribe? Why no ethics? How bold and shameless is Manmohan and Sonia?
Makes me sick.
07-22-2008, 12:28 AM
(This post was last modified: 07-22-2008, 01:56 AM by ramana.)
From Hindustan Times, 22 july 2008. Could be psy-ops but still....
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Why RSS is unhappy
Pankaj Vohra, Hindustan Times
New Delhi, July 21, 2008
First Published: 23:51 IST(21/7/2008)
Last Updated: 23:58 IST(21/7/2008)
The Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) appears to be keen that the political initiative in the wake of the nuclear debate should not shift into the hands of either the communists or regional players. If that happens it will be at the expense of the Sangh Parivar and its political wing, the BJP that has been trying to project itself as an alternative to the present government.
<b>This view, if it gets translated into action during the voting on the confidence motion tomorrow, could help in bailing out the UPA government that has been fighting with its back to the wall for survival. Informed sources said that there was every possibility that some of the BJP MPs may not vote on the issue on Tuesday.</b>
According to the RSS perception, the strengthening of regional forces and communists could lead to a weak nation. Therefore between the âtwo evils'â, <b>the RSS may prefer UPA to the communists.</b> <i>{Wrong move. They will ban RSS and outlaw it.}</i>
The sources said a section of the RSS leadership is greatly disappointed with the BJPâs prime ministerial candidate LK Advaniâs speech in the Lok Sabha on Monday and feels that it missed out on some basic Hindutva issues. Advaniâs speech was perceived as âweak on factsââ and did not touch on the Sangh Parivar agenda, the sources noted. <!--emo&:argue--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/argue.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='argue.gif' /><!--endemo-->
The RSS believes that the growing perception of the Left and the regional forces getting stronger has to be checkmated without any further delay. This perception posed greater threat to national security and integrity and plus and minus points of the nuclear deal were relatively insignificant issues that could be thrashed out subsequently. <i>{Again they dont understand what they are against. The UPA has to be removed or else they will have a virtual Emergency type situation. One of the first things will be to declare RSS as a Nazi group and outlaw it. The whole deal is to prevent them form getting workable deterrent }</i>
The sources said the RSS also believes that the BJP had abdicated its role of the principal opposition party by its actions in the first few years of this government and the Communists were playing a dual and contradictory role of supporting the government from outside and opposing it on various issues. As a result, the opposition tag did not remain the sole prerogative of the BJP.<i>{ I guess they know arithmetic? It was the Left that has to be appeased by the UPA to remain in power.}</i>
The Sangh is further worried that ever since the conflict on the nuclear deal started with the Left, the BJP had been relegated to the background and the communists and regional players had taken the centre-stage. Mayawatiâs emergence as a leader who could be a rallying point is also a cause of concern, given the dim view the Sangh has of her leadership capacity. <i>{If this is their assessment then the reverse is true too. They havent grown despite the many challenges they have faced since 1947.}</i>
In the Sanghâs perception, bringing down this government will not serve their agenda and will unleash forces that will be difficult to contain later. In the game of political upmanship, there is little scope for the BJP to assert itself as the principal opposition party "at the moment".
<b>Some Sangh leaders met a fortnight ago at a small conclave near the Delhi-Haryana border. In that conclave, a few top leaders had expressed their dissatisfaction over how Advani was shaping up as the prime ministerial candidate.</b>
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Ahead of Lok Sabha polls: BJP, RSS iron out operational differences
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--> was called at the behest of Swami Dayanand Saraswati of the Arsha Vidya Gurukulam, according to sources.
Sarkaryavah Mohanrao Bhagwat led the deliberations that had two BJP Chief Ministers â Narendra Modi and Shivraj Singh Chauhan â Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Modi, Members of Parliament Balbir Punj, Chandan Mitra, Manvendra Singh, Hindutva ideologues Sheshadri Chari and Swapan Dasgupta, as also members of the partyâs national executive, including Venkaiah Naidu and Prakash Javdekar. Though the state BJP was absent on the first day, state party president Parsottam Rupala made a brief appearance on Wednesday.
âTwo things came out of the meet. One, that there is a clarity of mind on the need to bring down the UPA government. Two, that when it comes to coordination between the RSS and the BJP, nothing should be left to chance. The meet creased out all perceived and real difference of opinion and we are more confident now,â said sources in the BJP. <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Good that means the HT report was psy-ops.
07-22-2008, 01:07 AM
(This post was last modified: 07-22-2008, 01:31 AM by acharya.)
NEW TRUST VOTE TALLY
UPA - 268 - 6 MPs from SP are anti deal, Cong 4 rebels, 5 RJD rebels , <span style='color:red'>3BJP rebels
OPP - 272 - 2 Deve Gowda for OPP
</span>
<!--QuoteBegin-Mudy+Jul 21 2008, 10:21 AM-->QUOTE(Mudy @ Jul 21 2008, 10:21 AM)<!--QuoteEBegin--><!--QuoteBegin--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->My only concern is that she will be dependent on CPM votes
however, being a master manipulator herself, I think she will screw the CPM like she screwed the BJP<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I think she is excellent or shrewd manipulator. Her rise is most amazing thing in Indian history. I want to see her PM now. She is not linked with any foreign power and came out from heart of India, that is rural India with no elite connection. She will give lot of heart burn to elitist media. Fun to watch. Mamta as always missed her boat again.
[right][snapback]84726[/snapback][/right]
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Anyone can take BJP for a ride as they still have bit of principles left (compared to other thugs). If Maya pulls her stunts, Left will scuttle the ship mid-ocean.
A year ago Maya was firmly on Sonia's side to get Prathiba in while Mulayam was on other side. A year ago Naidu was still building a rag-tag coalition of 3rd front of some disgruntled and only thing new is the list of those disgruntled has changed a bit. All in all, it's same old stale arrack repackaged in a new bottle.
Even if Mayawati's projected as PM candidate, it won't be without the support of Left given situation today. While she'll definitely be a better PM than current chaploosi, the Left will still be calling the shots. Naidu's playing a king (or queen) maker here but when push comes to shove I'd expect him to throw his hat in the ring - he too won't be a bad PM.
<b>Battle moves into last lap, UPA banks on abstentions</b>
New Delhi (PTI): The battle over UPA government's survival moved into last lap with the ruling combine claiming that sizeable opposition abstentions will help it win the trust vote in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh asserting that every decision of the coalition was in country's interests.
The ruling combine and the opposition are almost equally poised in the House with an effective strength of 541 in the trust vote to be taken tomorrow evening and the UPA managers are banking on nearly ten abstentions, all of them from NDA camp, and by Trinamool Congress leader Mamta Banerjee.
But the BJP dismissed all this as mischievous propaganda. The BJP as well as others against the confidence motion claimed that the opposition had a fair chance in the Parliamentary battle.
Treasury bench managers claimed that they will win comfortably when the confidence motion moved by the Prime Minister is taken up for voting on Tuesday evening. The margin of victory being bandied about by the ruling side is about six to seven votes above the required magic mark of 271.
Moving his one-line motion at the beginning of the two-day debate on the motion, a combative Prime Minister said the exercise of confidence was "wholly avoidable" and has come at a time when the government's attention has been on the economy, particularly on control of inflation.
The ruling combine fielded External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, government's pointsman on the Indo-US nuclear deal who shared a good rapport with the Left parties, put up a spirited defence of the government.
<b>
Don't jump off the running train: Mukherjee
"Keep your hand on your heart and say is this an issue on which you are bringing down the government," Mukherjee said attacking the Communists for its decision to vote along with the BJP to defeat it.</b>
"Don't jump off the running train. Wait for the next station which the train is approaching to get off," he told the Left parties to avoid voting with the BJP.
The body language of the UPA in a packed Lok Sabha, which has an effective strength of 541, appeared confident and combative as Mukherjee claimed that the Congress-led alliance has the support of 276.
<span style='color:red'>
The ruling side hopes that some five abstentions--two each from BJP and JD(U) and one from Shiv Sena-- and some more from the rival camp not not in a position to travel because of their ill-health would come to its aid in the vote that is exepcted to be a cliff-hanger of a finish.</span>
However, BJP spokesman Vijay Kumar Malhotra described these claims as "mischievous propaganda" and said the NDA was in tact. He also dismissed in a similar vein reports that the BJP was lackadaisical in toppling the government on fears that BSP leader Mayawati may corner all credit if the government fell.
NDA sources, however, conceded that losses in the form of defection by BJP MP Brij Bhushan Saran Singh and the possible absence of Shiv Sena MP Tukaram Renge Patil, who is said to be miffed with his party leadership. One more MP from Karnataka, who is in ICU, is a doubtful starter.
<b>Ailing BJP MPs to participate in trust vote
</b>
Mumbai (PTI): BJP MP Harischandra Chavan, hospitalised in Nashik after a serious accident, was on Monday nightflown to Delhi to participate in the trust vote in Lok Sabha on Tuesday.
Similarly, Mahesh Kanodia, BJP MP from Gujarat, who is in a Mumbai hospital, would be flown to Delhi either late tonight or early tomorrow, party sources told PTI.
Kanodia underwent an open heart surgery at the Asian Heart Institute here on July 14 and is recuperating there.
Chavan boarded a special aircraft, arranged by the party, from Ojhar airstrip near Nashik.
He is accompanied by orthopaedic surgeon Dr Prashant Patil, in whose care he was for the last several days, Nashik BJP leader Arun Aher said.
<b>
JD(S) denies switching loyalty to UPA</b>
New Delhi (PTI): JD(S) on Monday scotched rumours that the party might change its decision to vote against the UPA in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.
"There cannot be any change in our stand. All our three MPs are going to vote against the UPA government," JD(S) Secretary General Danish Ali said when asked to comment on the rumours in the political circles.
He alleged that such rumours have been floated by the ruling camp out of "sheer nervousness" ahead of tomorrow's vote.
"It is one more attempt by the political rivals of JD(S) to tarnish the image of the party and its leader H D Deve Gowda," he said.
<b>
Somnath defies CPI(M) which hints at action</b>
New Delhi (PTI): Ignoring the CPI(M) demand that he should step down, Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee on Monday presided over the special session debating the Government's confidence motion, and the party hinted at action against him.
The veteran parliamentarian, who has made it clear that he does not want the Speaker's office to be dragged into political controversy, chaired a meeting of floor leaders of various parties shortly before Lok Sabha met to consider Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's confidence motion.
Ending speculation that he may step down before the House debates the motion, the 79-year-old Marxist leader occupied the Speaker's Chair at 11 am, telling members that he had no subject of his own except to run the House.
The CPI(M) made no secret of its unhappiness and Polit Bureau member Sitaram Yechury said on Monday night that a "decision" in the matter would be taken at an "appropriate time".
Yechury pointed out that the matter had been discussed in the Central Committee which had authorised the Polit Bureau to take an "appropriate decision" at the "appropriate time."
Indicating that no action will be taken during the two-day Lok Sabha session, Yechury said, "we will not involve the Speaker's office while Parliament is in session."
<b>Left accuses govt. of 'outsourcing' foreign policy to US</b>
New Delhi (PTI): In a scathing attack on the UPA government, the Left on Monday accused it of "outsourcing" foreign policy to the United States and bluntly told the Congress that its coalition has lost trustworthiness due to "its deals".
Participating in the discussion on the confidence motion in Lok Sabha, CPI(M) leader Mohd Salim said that the Left had not supported the Government to go ahead with the nuclear deal, the IAEA safeguards agreement and strategic alliance with the US.
The support was on the basis of a Common Minimum Programme (CMP), he said adding the governmnet must realise "there has been no minimum programme with (US) President Bush."
He alleged that the government has resorted to "diplomatic process outsourcing" to the US.
Attacking the Congress for faulting the Left for withdrawing support to the government, he said the question is not only of trust, "but the trustworthiness of the government."
"The performance of the Government becomes fast when it comes to the nuclear deal," CPI(M) leader Mohd Salim said likening it to taking of dope by cricketers for enhancing their performance.
He regretted that the speed and performance of the government slowed down drastically when it came to issues like price rise and implementation of Sachar Commission.
He also accused the ruling alliance of indulging in horstrading as also had a dig at the Samajwadi Party for supporting the UPA. "Along with a wholesale deal, some retail deals are also taking place," Salim said.
"Govt. interested only the 123 Agreement"
Salim claimed the government was only interested in the 123 Agreement but not in dealing with the situation when the inflation had touched "almost 12.3 per cent".
The CPI(M) leader accused the Congress-led coalition of resorting to overdraft from the "debit card" made available by the Left parties.
Criticising the opponents of the nuclear deal, Samajwadi Party's Ram Gopal Yadav said while Leader of Opposition L K Advani was "in a hurry" to become the next Prime Minister, the Left had also joined hands with him.
In a sarcastic tone, he said "but now there are two claimants to the PM's post. One Advani and the other who they (the Left) proposed," apparently referring to UP Chief Minister and BSP chief Mayawati.
On a lighter note, he said Advani was "Lal" (red), referring to the BJP leader's name, and he had joined hands with the "Reds" (the Left) to oppose the government.
On this, the Speaker said "Lal kuchch kharab nahin hai, achcha hi hai" (red is not bad, it is good), leading to peals of laughter in the House.
The SP member criticised the Left parties for withdrawing their support saying "you cannot absolve yourself of the responsibility of running the government for the past four years."
He said the trends suggested that about 60 per cent of the sitting MPs do not get re-elected and so it was in their interest to abstain and not vote against the motion.
RJD MP defends nuclear deal
Defending the nuclear deal, Devendra Prasad Yadav of the RJD said the BJP and its leader Advani were in a state of a "shock" with emergence of Mayawati as a national leader. He wondered how the Left and the BJP were coming together when they never see eye-to-eye.
He said while the BJP was showing so much concern over the Amarnath issue, its government in Rajasthan was "destroying the land of lord Krishna" by allowing mafia to do illegal mining.
Several MPs had met the Prime Minister protesting against the destruction of the "Goverdhan Parbat".
Yadav's comments triggered sharp protests from the BJP members, leading to heated exchanges between the two sides.
Yadav said if a demand was made to bar charge-sheeted MPs in the confidence vote, then BJP leaders L K Advani and Kalyan Singh should also be kept out.
When Railway Minister Laloo Prasad intervened, he was interrupted by the BJP members leading to further commotion.
An agitated Prasad said, he was ready for "Mahabharata". He said as a minister he has a right to intervene and would not be cowed down by BJP members.
"We are ready for Mahabharata. It will start right here," he said.
Brajesh Pathak (BSP) said there were "dealers behind the nuclear deal". When the US itself has almost abandoned developing nuclear energy, why was the Indian government so keen on pursuing the deal, he asked.
There were other more pressing issues facing the country, including inflation, he said and blamed the Prime Minister for the price rise.
"The Prime Minister is directly responsible for inflation," he said.
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