Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee today asked party MPs not to air their views publicly on the Value Added Tax (VAT) even though the issue is agitating them.He told BJP MPs at the weekly parliamentary party meeting: ‘‘Whatever views you hold, convey these to Advaniji (Deputy PM L.K. Advani) or Jaswant Singhji (Finance Minister) but do not air them in public. If you do so, it only shows that the party is divided.’’Vajpayee said it was natural for members to represent interests of particular sections. ‘‘You should do so at the party fora but stand by the partyline once a decision is taken,’’ he said, adding that ‘‘if you air your views outside, the message which goes across is that the party is divided.’’ Jaswant said it was not fair to blame the Centre for the imposition of VAT. The decision to impose VAT rests with states, he said.
