Chautala relents, won’t withdraw support

PANIPAT, FEB 11: The BJP-led coalition government today heaved a sigh of relief when the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) leadership accede...

PANIPAT, FEB 11: The BJP-led coalition government today heaved a sigh of relief when the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) leadership acceded to Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee’s request to defer its decision about withdrawal of support to his 11-month-old ministry till February 21.

The INLD general body which met here this afternoon authorised Om Prakash Chautala to withdraw support to the Vajpayee government if the Union government did not roll back the hike in the issue prices of wheat, rice, sugar, urea and LPG by the deadline.

The party meanwhile decided to extend “conditional” instead of “unconditional” support to the government.

Talking to newspersons, Chautala said he would not wait beyond February 21 and convey to President KR Narayanan the party’s decision to withdraw support if their demand was not met by that time.

Chautala said Vajpayee had spoken to him three times urging him to postpone the decision till his return on February 14 from Jamaica where he had gone to attend the G-15summit. The party had decided to give due respect to the Prime Minister’s proposal and defer the decision till February 21.

The INLD which has four members in the 545-member Lok Sabha with one vacancy had announced on Tuesday to part ways with the ruling alliance and a final decision in this regard was to be ratified at the party’s general body meeting.