Allies step up pressure on BJP

The meeting, chaired by Prime Minister AB Vajpayee, saw a consensus on the need for Union ministers and members of the Coordination Committee to exercise restraint and avoid controversy since it was harming the image of the government. The matter, which has beencausing concern in the top echelons of the BJP, was raised by Shiv Sena leader Madhukar Sarpotdar who suggested that issues should not be aired in public.

Ironically, the pact was broken within hours. Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee let the cat out of the bag by telling journalists that Jayalalitha had raised the I-T cases issue in the meeting. When asked about this, Jayalalitha did not deny it but was clearly angry. “It is wrong of anyone to reveal what transpired in confidence at the meeting. Jaswant Singh has been authorised to brief the media. That is the official version,” she said.

The power ordinance also generated some heat, with both Jayalalitha and Punjab CM Parkash Singh Badal opposing some clauses, mainly the provision that power subsidies should be phased out in three years. They were assured that amendments would be made in the Bill to accommodate their concerns.

Later, Badal told journalists, “We believe that there should be no hindrance to state governments giving freeelectricity and water to farmers.”

Badal and Jayalalitha later held a separate meeting to prepare a strategy on the power ordinance. Jayalalitha also held one-to-one meetings with the PM and Home Minister LK Advani at which she is reported to have once again focussed on the deteriorating law and order situation in Tamil Nadu. The AIADMK Front also had its own conclave after the Coordination Committee meeting. Vajpayee also separately met with some leaders of allied parties.

The Samata Party, Trinamool Congress and Biju Janata Dal also complained about the law and order situation in Bihar, West Bengal and Orissa respectively. Union Ministers Nitish Kumar (Samata) and Naveen Patnaik (BJD) also spoke of the poverty in their states.

In his briefing, Jaswant Singh (convenor of the committee) said that the discussion centered mainly around the implementation of the National Agenda and that all the members of the committee had expressed satisfaction over the progress made so far. Members were briefed on thefive task forces set up to handle issues on the National Agenda like education, drinking water and agriculture.

Two more task forces have also been established: one headed by Rajasthan CM Bhairon Singh Shekhawat on further devolution of economic and political powers to states and the other headed by Jaswant Singh on poverty alleviation. However, the meeting took serious note of the law and order situation in Tamil Nadu, where a red alert was sounded by the police yesterday, and the killing of Trinamool Congress workers in West Bengal. The next meeting of the committee has been fixed for June 27.

What the allies demanded