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Predicting an early fall of Inder Kumar Gujral Government, sworn-in on
Monday, the Bharatiya Janata Party began election preparations for midterm
polls it considers a certainty.
BJP vice-president Krishan Lal Sharma told press corp that cracks now appear
in the United Front and mistrust rampant between the Congress and the UF,
making the combination and the government it provides more fragile than ever
before.
The BJP will be highlighting these aspects, manifested in the escalating
contradictions within the various UF constituents on the one hand and the
ebbing relations between the Congress and the UF on the other, during the
Tuesday debate on confidence motion to be sought by Prime Minister I K Gujral
in Lok Sabha.
"This government will also not last long," and ultimately Elections must be
held to provide a stable and durable government to the country, Sharma said.
It remains to be seen as to how much Gujral can keep the constituents of the
UF united and how much cohesiveness he can provide to the policies and
programmes, the BJP leader said.
"It is not easy, it is a very difficult task," Sharrna said adding that party
leadership had directed the rank and file to launch preparations for
elections, which can be held anytime because the government is fragile.
One of the major constituents of the United Front, the Tamila Maanila
Congress was no longer participating in the government and the UF was looking
for a new Finance Minister, the BJP leader said highlighting the failure of
the Front leaders to convince TMC chief that his party should join the
government.
"Despite similar configuration and composition of Gujral's council of
ministers" the government would be short-lived. Prime minister Gujral has
retained the portfolios held earlier by TMC representatives in the hope that
the regional group would join the government. But the stand of TMC chief G K
Moopanar, rejecting UF convenor Chandrababu Naidu and DMK supremo K
Karunanidhi's pleas, has pleased the BJP no ends. Since this element is new
in the arrangement, it would add to the instability factor, Sharma said.
The Congress and United Front owe an explanation to the nation as to what
were the reasons for them to part company, and change Deve Gowda, and what
were the compelling reasons for them to come together again, Sharma said
adding that the entire episode lasting a fortnight was nothing but a display
of "politically irresponsible behaviour".
Giving another chance to a Political formation that was defeated on the floor
of the House to form a Government was "unprecedented, unethical and
unacceptable". The BJP would be opposing the government inside and outside
the Parliament, Sharma said adding that the party would increase its visible
political activity across the country to highlight the injustice done to the
electorate.
The BJP protests can also take the shape of extensive tours of the country by
important BJP leaders, including party president L K Advani, the BJP
vice-president added.
PTI adds from Chennai: Meanwhile BJP all-India general secretary N Venkaiah
Naidu emphasised the inevitability of a mid-term poll in the country and said
the Gujral Government was likely to be more 'unstable' than the previous Deve
Gowda Government.
"The mid-term poll has only been postponed but it cannot be averted as the
current experiment will not last long since fissures have surfaced openly due
to the inbuilt inherent contradictions, prejudices, liking and dislikings and
ego clashes." he told reporters here at a press meet.
Pointing out that 200 of the total of 320 MPs in the United Front were now
extending support from outside. he said 'it was anybody's guess how long such
support could last'.
He said both the CPI-M and the Congress now had Veto powers like the United
Nation Security Council. Only the CPI-M had this power in the Gowda
Government, he said, adding "this will create more problems and endanger the
stability of the government".
He said both the CPI-M and the Congress now had veto powers like the United
Nation Security Council. Only the CPI-M had this power in the Gowda
Government, he said. adding "this will create more problems and endanger the
stability of the government".
He said the weakness of the United Front was evident from the fact that
initially the UF had said it would not compromise on the question of
leadership change. However, the Congress was finally "seen dictating terms,
leading to the UF prostrating before the Congress", he added.
Naidu said the UF had, in the first instance, compromised on the people's
mandate, which was against the Congress, then on issues and thirdly on the
leadership question.
"Now it was willing to compromise on the national interest in order to cling
to power," he maintained.
The UF, which was highly critical about the Congress in its manifesto, was
now ready to compromise with that party.
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