Opp walks out over Laloo-Paswan

The Opposition’s protest on the Laloo-versus-Paswan issue appeared to be losing steam, with NDA MPs raising it in a token manner in the Lok Sabha and staging a half-hearted walk-out today.

Even before the last of the stragglers had reached the door, others trooped back to the House, prompting an amused member to ask BJP leader Vijay Kumar Malhotra: ‘‘Aap aa rahe hain ya ja rahen hain (are you going out or coming in)?’’ Before the half-minute walk-out, Speaker Somnath Chatterjee said he had received privilege notices from four Opposition MPs — P.C. Thomas, Sushil Modi, V.K. Malhotra and Prabhunath Singh — against Union Railway Minister Laloo Prasad Yadav for denying that he had made any statement against LJP leader Ram Vilas Paswan. ‘‘The matter is under my consideration,’’ the Speaker said.

Briefing reporters later, Malhotra said newspaper clippings on the RJD leader’s statements charging Paswan with corruption had been attached to the privilege notice. Television clips were also being collected to prove that the Railway Minister was ‘‘misleading’’ the House by saying he had never made any statement against Paswan.

The Opposition would continue to demand a statement from the PM on the issue, BJP leaders said. But with both ministers having furnished their personal explanation, a statement from the PM seems unlikely. Differences within NDA — JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar is reportedly unhappy with the NDA leadership for highlighting the Laloo-Paswan spat — may also tone down the protests next week.