M A I N   N E W S

BJP calls for consensus on President
Tribune News Service

Shimla, May 12
Mr Jana Krishnamurthi, national President of the BJP, today appealed to the Opposition, particularly the Congress, to cooperate with the government and help elect the next President of India by consensus.

Addressing a press conference here, he said electing the new President by consensus would set a healthy precedent and hoped that the Opposition would respond positively to his appeal. He said the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) had authorised Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee to select the presidential candidate in consultation with the Opposition.

It was in the national interest that political differences did not come in the way of consensus on such an important issue.

Regarding the stand of the Telugu Desam Party, he said the party would back the NDA-sponsored candidate as Mr Chandrababu Naidu, the party supremo, had been asserting that his support to the Vajpayee government would continue.

While admitting that the communal riots in Gujarat had tarnished the image of the BJP and the country, he outrightly rejected the demand for the removal of Mr Narendra Modi as Chief Minister. He said in a federal set-up, the demand for sacking a duly elected Chief Minister from outside the state was not justified and an elected government could be only defeated on the floor of the House.

Removing the Chief Minister under pressure from outside would not only set a bad precedent but also upset the delicate balance between the Centre and the states. Such an action would lead to anarchy, he feared.

Referring to revolt in the Uttar Pradesh unit of the party, he said there was no “rebellion” as such and only one legislator who was denied a ministerial berth had declared that he would oppose the vote of confidence in the Assembly.

The party had taken serious notice of it and it would take further action depending on how the legislator concerned acts during the vote of confidence. He expressed confidence that Ms Mayawati would secure the vote of confidence without any hiccups.

He denied there was any serious “dissidence” in the state unit of the party and said that minor problems were there in various states.

He said the “Mitra Milan” being organised by certain leaders was also a small matter which could be sorted out. He said the results of the Shimla Municipal Corporation poll were not a setback. In fact, the party had improved its tally of seats in the body which had all along been a Congress stronghold.

He did not agree with the view that indiscipline was on the increase in the party or that the popularity of the party was declining. Winning or losing an election was not as important as to keep the party machinery fighting fit to reverse the electoral fortunes.

Replying to a question, he said the issue of differences in the party in Goa and Orissa, was entirely different from that of Uttar Pradesh. In Orissa, the party legislators sponsored the candidature of Mr Dilip Ray for the Rajya Sabha, leaving the high command with no option but to expel them, whereas in Goa, some leaders who had deserted the Congress to join the BJP, chose to return to their old party.

Mr Krishnamurthi ruled out any possibility of the BJP entering an alliance with the AIDMK and asserted that the party was having a “very good” relationship with the DMK and its ministers were doing a good job in the Vajpayee government. He said the party was gearing up for the next round of Assembly poll in 10 states and it had prepared a programme to galvanise the cadres.

Besides him, some senior ministers would tour the states extensively and hold discussions with workers. They would donate at least four days in a month for organisation work.

Work to reverse poll defeat: Jana
Tribune News Service

BJP President Jana Krishnamurthi addresses a Press conference in Shimla on Sunday. — Photo Vivek

He said the government had prepared the Budget after carefully considering and incorporating the suggestions received from different sections of society during the vikas yatra.