BJP steps up attack on Jaya
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, March 31 — A day after the AIADMK leader, Ms J Jayalalitha, stirred political waters in the Capital, the BJP decided to reverse the pressure on its major ally.

The BJP and a senior union minister today reiterated that the decision arrived at the Coordination Committee meeting on Saturday rejecting a joint parliamentary committee probe into the sacking of Admiral Vishnu Bhagwat, was "collective".

Armed with yet another endorsement at an informal meeting of its allies last night here wherein it was decided to rally behind the BJP and take the stand that Mr George Fernandes would remain the Defence Minister and Admiral Vishnu Bhagwat would not be reinstated, the BJP stepped up its counter-attack.

It may be recalled that the AIADMK leader during her stay in the Capital had repeatedly said that her party wanted a JPC inquiry into the Bhagwat issue and the sacked Naval Chief’s reinstatement.

The Union Power Minister, Mr P R Kumaramangalam, told correspondents at an informal meeting here today that it was the AIADMK leader who had changed her stand on the Bhagwat issue.

He said having been party to a resolution at the Coordination Committee meeting, Ms Jayalalitha raised the issue again. He also said the AIADMK leader did not discuss these issues at her meeting with the Prime Minister.

Asked if the BJP was embarrassed over the flip-flop, Mr Kumaramangalam said it was Ms Jayalalitha who was embarrassed and it was her "credibility that had dropped".

The statement that a decision taken by the Union Cabinet was final, indicated that the BJP preferred to meet the challenge head-on and was not willing to duck for cover from the AIADMK leader’s latest attack.

Party sources said there was no way the government could accede to the demand for the reinstatement of the dismissed Naval Chief as it would amount to questioning the authority of the Union Cabinet.

Meanwhile, the BJP General Secretary, Mr M Venkaiah Naidu, also reiterated that the Coordination Committee resolution was a collective decision and asked the AIADMK General Secretary not to violate it.

The BJP leadership seemed to have taken a hard stance after the latest developments and the party wanted to send a strong political message before its National Executive meeting scheduled to begin on April 2 at Goa.

Party’s crisis managers appeared confident that the BJP would be able to handle the Opposition’s change of strategy with regard to the Bhagwat episode in the Lok Sabha.

They also expected that the Congress and other Opposition parties might move a no-confidence motion against the Vajpayee government instead of pressing for a censure motion in the Lok Sabha on the issue.

However, the Congress today steered clear of making its position known, reiterating it was against pulling down an elected government.

Party spokesperson Girja Vyas said the Congress would fulfil its constitutional responsibility once the present arrangement "fell under its own weight and due to its internal contradictions."