M A I N   N E W S

TDP keeps all guessing on motion
From T.R. Ramachandran
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Dec 13 —The Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, Mr Chandrababu Naidu’s Telegu Desam party (TDP) has everyone guessing what his block of 28 MPs, excluding the Lok Sabha Speaker, Mr G.M.C Balayogi, will do when the Congress censure motion against the Atal Behari Vajpayee government is put to vote in the Lower House tomorrow.

Mr Naidu’s role is crucial for keeping the NDA government afloat at the Centre though there is no imminent threat. However, there is hushed talk in the TDP about the possibility of the regional party abstaining in case the Prime Minister is not categorical in maintaining the secular fabric of the country.

As is his wont, the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister is keeping his cards close to his chest till the last moment and keeping a close tab on the contours of the discussion on the controversial Ayodhya issue in the Lok Sabha.

Going by the critical game of numbers, the NDA government is just comfortably ensconced in the seat of power on Raisina Hill in the national Capital even if the TDP is to abstain during the division.

TDP MPs, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said their Chief Minister and party supremo is extremely disturbed that none other than Mr Vajpayee should have made the statement that construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya is in keeping with national sentiments when the matter is pending in the court.

TDP Parliamentary Party leader Yerran Naidu has emphasised that the Prime Minister should not have made such a statement in the first instance. The TDP politburo in Hyderabad discussed the issue on Saturday last and urged the Prime Minister to make a clarificatory statement to put the record straight, otherwise it can lead to “serious complications.”

Mr Vajpayee’s trouble-shooters have been working overtime in putting the record straight over the telephone with Mr Naidu in Hyderabad. Nevertheless, the directive on what the TDP should do when it comes to the crunch of voting will be decided only after Mr Vajpayee’s response in the Lok Sabha.

If the TDP finds serious gaps in Mr Vajpayee’s speech pertaining to the country’s secular polity, it might have to undertake a serious rethink of voting against the Congress motion. Mr Vajpayee is not going to precipitate matters or say anything that will put the very survival of the NDA in jeopardy.

The Prime Minister has some explaining to do to NDA partners like the Trinamool Congress and the DMK. For Union Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee and DMK chief and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi it is a do-or-die battle of appeasing the minorities and weaker sections as assembly elections are due in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu in the next four months. 

Rajya Sabha impasse continues
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Dec 13 — Business in the Rajya Sabha remained suspended for the eighth consecutive day today as the Opposition continued with its demand for a discussion on the Ayodhya issue under the motion which would entail voting.

As the House met twice, the government seemed to be shying away from the discussion under the particular motion, which gave the Opposition parties opportunity to continue the pandemonium. Members from the Congress, Left Front, Samajwadi Party and the RJD insisted on admissibility of the motion under Rule 168 which culminates in a discussion and voting under Rule 170.

Admissibility under these Rules can create an embarrassing situation for the government, specially as it does not have a majority in the Upper House.

Aware of its minority status in the House, the government at meetings with leaders of the other political parties at the Chairman’s chamber, obviously to escape embarrassment on the floor of the House, opposed a discussion under Rule 170 and favoured a debate without voting.

In the morning, the Chairman, Mr Krishan Kant, adjourned the House barely a minute after it assembled at 11 am till 2 pm since all parties were to meet to thrash out the issue of under which Rule the discussion would be allowed.

When the House met at 2 pm, it was adjourned within ten minutes, the Deputy Chairperson, Dr Najma Heptulla, informed the members that an all-party meeting called by Mr Krishan Kant to break the impasse could not arrive at any decision. She said the leader of the House, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Minister of State in the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs and leaders of various political parties participated in the meeting.

Congress member Suresh Pachauri urged the Chair to permit a discussion under Rule 168 on the motions moved by his party colleagues, Mr Pranab Mukherjee and Mr Kapil Sibal on December 4. Mr Pachauri wanted to know from the Chair, the fate of the notice submitted under Rule 168 and 170 by him.

He said no decision had been taken on the proposal which had been given under various Rules according to the procedure of the House. He said when time was fixed to hold a discussion on these proposals, members had a right to express their opinion and cast their vote.

Mr Pachauri complained that the House had been getting step-motherly treatment.

Mr Pachauri was interrupted by vociferous members from the Treasury Benches when he said that the proposal was significant as they had sought the removal of the three ministers of the Vajpayee Cabinet who had been chargesheeted.

Mr Pachauri said they were interested in the House to proceed and it was only the ruling party members who were seeking to disrupt the House by not agreeing to a discussion on the Ayodhya issue.