Chautala pulls out with 4 MPs

NEW DELHI, Feb 16: After threatening to withdraw support to the Atal Behari Vajpayee Government several times, Om Prakash Chautala finall...

NEW DELHI, Feb 16: After threatening to withdraw support to the Atal Behari Vajpayee Government several times, Om Prakash Chautala finally acted today. At a press conference in the capital this evening, the president of the Haryana Lok Dal Rashtriya officially announced the end of his party8217;s support to the Bharatiya Janata Party-led coalition government. Chautala8217;s HLD R has four MPs in the Lok Sabha. Chautala8217;s announcement came immediately after his meeting with Vajpayee. He said, 8220;The Prime Minister was unrelenting on our demand for reducing prices of essential commodities.8221; He said that he would send the letter of withdrawal of support of his MPs to the Speaker of Lok Sabha on February 19 after all his four MPs return from their official tours. None of the MPs was present at Chautala8217;s press conference. Nor could they be contacted on the telephone to verify reports about their differences with Chautala on the issue.

Although BJP leaders claimed there was no imminent threat to the Government atthe Centre, Chautala8217;s decision is likely to trigger off political manoeuvrings in Haryana, where the HLDR is aiming to dislodge arch rival Bansi Lal. The Bansi Lal Government is supported by the BJP.

At the moment, HLD R decision would mean only one more vote against the BJP as the effective strength of the opposition has recently been reduced by three. Ghasiram Yadav, a Congress Member from Rajasthan died while Ashok Gehlot and Giridhar Gamang have been recently nominated as Chief Ministers of Rajasthan and Orissa respectively.

Chautala8217;s decision comes within days of Home Minister L K Advani accusing 8220;insignificant partners8221; of 8220;blackmail8221;. And the HLD R leader is understood to have expressed his unhappiness over Advani8217;s remarks during his meeting today with Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee.

The break-off, however, was triggered by the BJP8217;s persistent refusal to dismiss the Bansi Lal Government 8212; a promise that Chautala maintains was made to him in return for the support of his fourMPs when the Vajpayee Government was formed.

Although the BJP has been generous with sops to its other, bigger allies like the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam AIADMK, Trinamool Congress and Samata Party, it has refused to go along with the HLDR on the calculation that the four MPs no longer matter for the Centre8217;s survival.

Today8217;s development created an aura of optimism in the Congress party which shares Chautala8217;s dream of seeing Bansi Lal8217;s Haryana Vikas Party Government out of office.

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Speaking to The Indian Express, Surinder Singh, leader of the Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee said the party was ready to coordinate with Chautala to pull down the state government. He, however, said the Congress would not form the government nor would it support Chautala as a chief ministerial candidate.

Bhopal BJP MP quits

BHOPAL: The BJP8217;s Lok Sabha member from Bhopal Susheel Chandra Verma has resigned from Parliament in protest against the Union Government8217;s failure todeclare Bhopal8217;s remaining 20 wards out of the total 56 as gas-affected.