Allies force BJP to soften stand on RSS issue

NEW DELHI, MARCH 1: The BJP came under pressure from its allies on the RSS issue today when the TDP, INLD, MDMK and Samata Party baulked a...

NEW DELHI, MARCH 1: The BJP came under pressure from its allies on the RSS issue today when the TDP, INLD, MDMK and Samata Party baulked at supporting the Government against the Opposition8217;s censure motion.

It was a blow for the BJP which was keen for a showdown with the Congress and remove the last bit of the stigma attached to the RSS. Bemused BJP circles were left wondering what had gone wrong as last night, armed with assurances from some allies like Trinamool Congress and the BJD, it was confident of going through with its game plan.

The differences cropped up at this morning8217;s meeting of NDA partners, chaired by Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, and are being seen in political circles as a warning signal to the BJP not to push the allies to give their seal of approval to the RSS.

NDA sources said that Vajpayee was visibly perturbed at the emerging schism within the alliance and warned the meeting that he would be morally bound to resign if the censure motion was passed by the Lok Sabha.

Although BJP circles tried to play down the development and denied reports of Vajpayee8217;s resignation threat, they could not hide their frustration at being circumscribed by the alliance. It came through during the meeting too in Home Minister L K Advani8217;s reminder to the partners that just as the allies have to cater to their respective constituencies, the BJP too has to keep its constituency in mind.

Both Advani and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pramod Mahajan tried to persuade the allies to agree to the Opposition8217;s demand for a discussion on the RSS issue under Rule 184 which calls for a vote, as a way out of the current impasse in Parliament. But TDP leader Yerran Naidu flatly refused to give a categorical assurance of support during a vote. He was backed by MDMK leader V Gopalswamy, Defence Minister George Fernandes on behalf of the Samata and the INLD.

Now that the BJP has been forced to retreat, it has decided to let things lie till the Congress rally on March 6 is over. Thus, unless there is a breakthrough, the Lok Sabha is likely to be disrupted again tomorrow and on Friday.

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Today8217;s developments left the TDP feeling quite sour. Lok Sabha Speaker G M C Balayogi, himself a TDP MP, was particularly upset because the BJP put him in an awkward position by abruptly changing tack and deciding to face a censure motion. He left Parliament abruptly this afternoon, indicating his displeasure to the Government at the attempt to overturn his ruling on the issue.

Balayogi had rejected both the adjournment motion and the censure motion moved by the Congress and instead admitted a motion under Rule 193 which is not put to vote moved by BJP MP Kirit Somaiya. In fact, two days ago, he even permitted Somaiya to initiate the discussion, sparking off loud protests from the Congress.

Yerran Naidu reminded the BJP of this at the morning meeting and other allies echoed his stand that since the discussion had already started under Rule 193, it should not be disrupted. They also warned the BJP that the Government would be falling into the trap laid by the Congress if it conceded the Opposition8217;s demand for a discussion under Rule 184.

The meeting ended inconclusively with Naidu saying he would consult his leader, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, and get back to the Government.