Congress ready if govt falls
Tribune News Service and agencies

NEW DELHI, April 16 — Breaking its silence, the Congress today announced that it would stake claim to form the alternative government after the fall of the BJP-led coalition.

Mr Arjun Singh, the AICC authorised spokesman on the political crisis, said the party was not averse to forming a coalition government and read out a clause from the Pachmarhi declaration to support such a move.

The party’s announcement came on a day when the ruling coalition got a major boost with support coming from erstwhile estranged partner, the Indian National Lok Dal and a new-found ally, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam.

The Congress had not indicated as to what it proposed to do after the fall with even Ms Jayalalitha stating yesterday.

The Congress, the principal Opposition party in the Lok Sabha, maintained that the Atal Behari Vajpayee would not be able to get the motion of confidence passed.

To a question whether the party had delayed in making its stand clear, Mr Arjun Singh said that it was neither "too late nor infructuous" to take such a decision in view of the INLD and DMK throwing the lot with the Vajpayee government.

Asked how the party would make up the numbers after the clear stand taken by the INLD and the DMK, Mr Arjun Singh said it was not necessary for the party to spell out the numbers at this stage.

The Congress reiterated that it made no effort to topple the BJP-led government at the Centre stating that it was the allies of the BJP who deserted the party which reduced the ruling coalition to a minority.

Mr Arjun Singh disagreed with a suggestion that the Congress had miscalculated by aligning with the AIADMK Supermo, Ms J. Jayalalitha, or the Congress had advised her against the withdrawal of support.

With the fate of the Vajpayee government hanging in balance, the mood in the BJP camp turned upbeat after the stand taken by the INLD and the DMK while enthusiasm was missing in the Congress and Opposition camp.

Congress President Sonia Gandhi would be the leader of the new formation, Mr Arjun Singh said.

Maintaining that the government would fail to prove its majority, he said "an artificial situation seems to have been created with the support extended by the DMK and the INLD."

"All the fears being voiced regarding success of the effort of the opposition are misplaced and misconceived," he said, adding that the situation was being constantly reviewed by the party.

Replying to a query, he said the current political developments did not show that anti-Congressism had overtaken anti-communalism.

He said the party would stake its claim to form government as it had always said it would fulfil its constitutional responsibility whenever the situation arose.

Mr Arjun Singh dismissed the claim of the ruling coalition that it has a mandate to rule, as a "fraud on the people of India." He recalled that the agenda for national governance was not the plank on which the BJP sought the support of the people in the 1998 elections.

He said the Vajpayee government had totally disillusioned the people and proved its ineptitude in handling national matters, both of security and those of concern to the common citizen.

"It is time that, in the name of God, who also has been unabashedly betrayed by them (government), and in the name of the country, which has been brought to the crossroads, the Lok Sabha consigns this communal and corrupt cabal which goes by the name of BJP coalition, to the dustbin of history", he said.

Jaya can join new govt: Basu

NEW DELHI, April 16 (PTI) — AIADMK supremo J. Jayalalitha today exuded confidence that the Opposition will have the requisite numbers to vote out the Vajpayee government in the Lok Sabha tomorrow.

"We do have the numbers. Why are you so impatient?. Wait till tomorrow noon," she told reporters before leaving to meet CPI General Secretary A.B. Bardhan at Ajoy Bhavan.

Asked whether INLD President Om Prakash Chautala’s decision to back the government was a setback for the opposition, she said "not at all. It was half expected."

Meanwhile, senior Janata Dal leader S.R. Bommai, who met Jayalalitha today, said some leaders of the third front were in touch with the Tamil Maanila Congress (TMC) leader G.K. Moopanar to enlist his support to oppose the trust vote.

He said the Janata Dal will issue a whip this evening after consulting the senior party leaders.

Asked whether the Vajpayee government would win the trust vote, the former Janata Dal President said "Both possibilities are there."

Mr S.R. Bommai said his party was intact and yesterday’s decision to vote against the Vajpayee government was unanimous.

CALCUTTA: The West Bengal Chief Minister, Mr Jyoti Basu, on Friday said he was not averse to the AIADMK participating in an alternative government in the event of fall of the ruling BJP-led coalition.

"Our party’s stand in this regard is clear," he told newsmen at the state secretariat. "But any party, including the AIADMK, can participate in the alternative government or extend support to it from outside."

Claiming that the Vajpayee government’s motion on the vote of confidence would be defeated in the Lok Sabha, the veteran Marxist leader said, "Congress will form the alternative government to which we will extend our party’s issue-based support".

He also expressed the hope that "other like-minded parties" would also lend support to such a government to be formed by the Congress. Mr Basu, however, did not specify those parties.

He earlier said that his party (CPM) would like the DMK to remain with the Opposition in defeating the vote of confidence against the Vajpayee government.

Mr Basu is scheduled to leave for Delhi tomorrow to attend the politburo meeting.