By Pankaj Yadav New Delhi, July 15 (ANI): Senior BJP leader Vijay Kumar Malhotra today claimed that the Congress-led UPA Government was bound to fall on July 22 because "the ruling coalition was not able to cobble together more than 250 members in the Lower House of the parliament".
In order to win the trust vote, the UPA ought to have 272 votes in the 545-member strong House. Malhotra suggested that the five MPs who have been convicted or are facing trial must not be allowed to vote in the trust motion.
Malhotra, party's deputy leader in the Lok Sabha, said that a few small parties, and even a section of the Congress MPs (in Lok Sabha), were in constant touch with the BJP and were ready to vote against the Government during the trust motion over the Indo-US nuclear deal.
He, however, did not divulge the names of the political parties and the Congressmen.
Malhotra said that the NDA was intact and that a meeting of all NDA chief ministers has been called tomorrow in the Capital to discuss the future political strategy, as the Centre Government was bound to fall.
He said thereafter a meeting of the NDA allies would be called at Leader of Opposition LK Advani's residence. "Our core group has been meeting regularly over the past few days to read the latest political situation in the country ahead of the trust vote on the Indo-US nuclear deal," Malhotra told media persons at the regular press briefing this afternoon.
Interacting with the press persons on the occasion, party spokesman Ravi Shankar Prasad said that the BJP was "not in favour of the Indo-US nuclear deal in its present form and that it opposed in national interest. We are not against friendly relations against the US," he clarified.
He said that incorrect conclusions have been drawn over the past few days regarding the BJP's stance regarding the deal, and added "we are opposing the deal in its present form which is against the national interests."
BJP issues whip for trust vote
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) issued a whip here today to its Lok Sabha MPs for the July 22 trust vote to topple the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government in the crucial vote of confidence in the Parliament.
V K Malhotra, Deputy Leader of the BJP in the Lok Sabha told reporters in New Delhi, "All the NDA constituents are together and we are confident that the UPA government will fall."
Malhotra added, "The BJP has issued a whip and we are talking to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) constituents like Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), Janata Dal (United), Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and others."
Malhotra further said, "Smaller parties and members of United National Progressive Alliance (UNPA) are also talking to us to vote against the Government."
According to sources, the BJP said that all NDA partners, including and Shiv Sena, SAD would vote against the UPA Government.
A meeting of all NDA chief ministers has been called on July 17 to discuss the forthcoming trust vote, necessitated after the withdrawal of support by the Left parties to the UPA Government over Indo-US civil nuclear deal issue.
'Lal Salaam' and 'Dalal Salaam' heated exchanges between SP and BJP
They often correctly say - "there are no permanent foes or friends in politics". If one glances back a few years, the Samajwadi Party, which then ruled in Uttar Pradesh, had extended a five-star treatment to the BJP during its national executive meeting in Lucknow. Then it was an open secret that the SP had unofficially given a "state guest" honour to the BJP, because both were at a distance from the Congress, which virtually ruled, and still does, at the Centre.
That was an era when the SP and the BJP were hobnobbing behind the doors. 'Behind the doors" because of their politico-ideological compulsions - one is identified as having secular credentials and the other a 'communal' image.
But, today, after seeing SP General General Secretary Amar Singh addressing a press conference and castigating BJP leader LK Advani for describing that he is a 'dalal', it became amply clear that once "behind the doors friends" are attacking each other.
Taking a strong exception to BJP leader LK Advani's recent remarks that the Congress had turned from doing 'Lal Salaam' to 'Dalal Salaam', Amar Singh said that it was only a matter of months when the BJP leader had changed the impression about him.
Recalling the "closed door meetings" between the SP and BJP till a few months ago, he said that the BJP had even gone to the extent of committing its support to a government led by SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav at the Centre. "But Mulayam Singh ji had on every occasion declined the offer, saying that the Samajwadi Party can't go along with the communal BJP," he added.
The connotations "Lal Salaam" and 'Dalal Salaam" are being used in regard to the Congress distancing itself away from the Communist parties (have red party flags) and turning to the Samajwadi Party (who had dalals like Amar Singh).
"Though Advani indirectly said the Congress was indulging in 'dalal salaam', his insinuation was directed at me. I want to recall that Advaniji had great affection for me till a few months ago, when he delivered a copy of his autobiography 'My Country My Life' through his daughter at my residence. It was because he had invited me at the launch of his book but I couldn't attend it. Also, Advaniji had himself handed over a copy of his book to Soniaji at her official residence because she also could not attend the book launch ceremony," said an infuriated looking Amar Singh.
He also referred to the meetings which took place at the residence of George Fernandes, and at other places including Hotel Maurya Sheraton, where senior BJP leader Jaswant Singh had committed his party's support to a Mulayam Singh-led government at the Centre in order to topple the Congress-led government.
But Mulayam Singhji refused saying that he can't sit in the same boat with the BJP, added Amar Singh at the press conference flanked by SP leader in Lok Sabha Prof Ram Gopal Yadav and Akhilesh Yadav, the son of Mulayam Singh Yadav. (ANI)
