Cong picks on PM remark

The Congress today said that Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee8217;s saying that he is 8216;8216;tired8217;8217; of coalition governments takes the wind out of the BJP campaign of running a 8216;8216;stable coalition8217;8217; for five years. Congress spokesperson Anand Sharma said, 8216;8216;First, the Prime Minister said that his successor has already been selected by the party. Then he says that he is tired of coalition governments.8217;8217; 8216;8216;Is he tired because the NDA Government ran the last five years through blackmail and bargaining?8217;8217; he asked.

8216;8216;When the BJP is seeking a mandate in his name for the next five years, to say that his successor has been identified is actually duping the voters,8217;8217; Sharma said. 8216;8216;The voters deserve to know who is Vajpayee8217;s successor,8217;8217; he added.

Meanwhile, the BJP promptly moved to try to undo the damage caused to its coalition thesis. Party spokesperson Arun Jaitley declared that the BJP will form a coalition government even if the party gets a majority on its own.

When asked about the PM8217;s statement on coalition, Jaitley said: 8216;8216;Irrespective of the number of seats BJP gets, NDA is here to stay.8217;8217;