New Delhi, April 27
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s effort to end the NDA’s three-day boycott of Parliament ended in vain today as the Leader of Opposition, Mr L. K. Advani turned down the former’s appeal.

As the NDA had trained guns on the Prime Minister, accusing him of “practising the worst kind of political opportunism” in retaining “tainted” ministers, particularly Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, the government had moved swiftly to undertake a damage-control exercise.

Soon after the NDA’s attack on the UPA, the Prime Minister spoke to Mr Advani and requested him to reconsider the Opposition’s decision to boycott both Houses of Parliament.

Mr Advani told newspersons at an award ceremony that the Prime Minister had asked him on telephone to end the boycott “but I told him that the Opposition’s action is based on a unanimous decision by the NDA.” The NDA would meet on Monday to discuss the matter, he said.

The Prime Minister also met Mr Yadav who in the Prime Minister’s chamber in Parliament House. Dr Singh is understood to have discussed with the Railway Minister the impact of the framing of charges against Mr Yadav in the fodder scam case and the strategy to counter the NDA’s attack. Later, Mr Yadav met UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi.

Earlier, addressing a joint press conference here, NDA leaders George Fernandes and Mr Advani said the alliance would meet on Monday morning to review the situation.

In a statement read out by Mr Fernandes they not only justified the NDA’s decision to boycott Parliament, but also demanded that the government treat the Opposition as an opponent and not “enemy”.

Recalling its campaign against ‘tainted” ministers after the UPA government assumed office, Mr Fernandes said while JMM leader Shibu Soren’s resignation was secured as the coalition was not critically dependent on it, “the Prime Minister has obdurately stonewalled all pleas for dismissal” of Mr Yadav and his four other party colleagues.

This was “only and only because his (Manmohan Singh’s) government is “critically dependent on the support of the RJD”, the statement pointed out.

“The Prime Minister is guilty of practising the worst kind of political opportunism in retaining these ministers, brushing aside all moral principles, scruples and democratic propriety,” Mr Fernandes alleged.

He also alleged that Mr Yadav had been allowed to “freely misuse his authority in government and his political clout to subvert the legal and democratic process so that he can get off the hook.”

Stating that Mr Yadav’s politics had been a “liability” for Bihar for 15 years, Mr Advani cautioned the UPA government that the RJD leader’s politics would be a “liability” for the coalition as well. “The earlier you take the decision, the better it would be for your performance and governance,” the BJP President said.

The NDA statement also accused the government of adopting a “vindictive, confrontationist and hostile attitude” towards the Opposition alliance.