Rediff Logo
Star News banner
News
Citibank banner Find/Feedback/Site Index
HOME | NEWS | ELECTIONS '98 | REPORT
March 17, 1998

NEWS
VIEWS
INTERVIEWS
CAMPAIGN TRAIL
ISSUES '98
MANIFESTOS
OVERHEARD
POLLING BOOTH
INDIA SPEAKS!
YEH HAI INDIA
CHAT
ELECTIONS '96

SP to boycott Vajpayee's swearing-in

The Samajwadi Party will boycott the swearing-in ceremony of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government on March 19.

SP general secretary Amar Singh said today that his party was of the view that the BJP had no faith in the Constitution of India, and hence the SP did not want to be witness to the "false oath on the Constitution".

Substantiating his charge, Singh told newspersons that the BJP had flouted the high norms of constitutional propriety time and again. The demolition of the Babri Masjid was a testimony to this fact, he pointed out.

The BJP had "thrived" on instigating the religious sentiments of the people, and its agenda was always fixed by the "fascist" Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh, the Samjawadi Party leader alleged.

Amar Singh expressed the hope of winning over Telugu Desam Party chief N Chandrababu Naidu in an endeavour to defeat the BJP government when it seeks a vote of confidence on the floor of the Lok Sabha.

The Samajwadi Party was already exerting ''friendly pressure'' on Naidu, and the secular forces should have reason to be hopeful in this regard, he added.

When asked about the possible expulsion of the TDP from the United Front, the SP general secrretry said Naidu had not announced clearly that his party would help the BJP. ''What Naidu has said was about maintaining equidistance from the BJP and Congress,'' he clarified. ''We will not say anything on this issue till the floor test is held.''

To another question, Singh asked, ''Why single out Chandrababu Naidu for jeopardising the prospects of secular forces while leaders like Om Parkash Chautala, Buta Singh and members of the Arunachal Congress have announced their support to the BJP?''

Singh described the TDP leaders as being ''jittery'' due to local issues in their state, but added, ''Maybe their inner conscience will be awakened during the vote of confidence.''

Squarely blaming the BJP for adopting unfair means in its efforts to grab power, the Samajwadi Party leader claimed the BJP was now folowing the same corrupt practices as were tried in Uttar Pradesh by Kalyan Singh.

UNI

Elections '98

Tell us what you think of this report

HOME | NEWS | BUSINESS | CRICKET | MOVIES | CHAT
INFOTECH | TRAVEL | LIFE/STYLE | FREEDOM | FEEDBACK