NEW DELHI: India faced unrest on Wednesday after the country’s first Hindu nationalist government resigned ahead of certain defeat. In a parliamentary confidence Vote. H.D. Deve Gowda. A low-profile peasant leader heading the United Front (UF) alliance of leftists and centrists was named by President Shankar Dayal Sharma to replace outgoing Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

A two-day debate on a confidence motion in the ruling pro Hindu Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ended. Abruptly on Tuesday when Vajpayee, 69, announced he was resigning and would not seek a vote on the fate of his. Minority government.

Authorities were on alert for protests and street violence after pro Hindu demonstrators in Bombay, India’s commercial capital, protested after the resignation announcement.

Tensions are likely to be high on Wednesday, a national holidays in secular India, because of possible clashes between demonstrators and Muslims marking the martyrdom of a grandson of the prophet Mohammed. Political activity will now move from parliament to the back rooms of the UF as ill seeks to form a policy program which can accommodate its diverse constituents.

The UF and the Congress Party of former prime minister, V. Narasimha. Rao, which together hold a majority in parliament, had announced during the debate they would vote against the BIP. Sharma appointed Vajpayee prime minister on May 16 after the BJP ended with the largest number of seats in the inconclusive general elections held in April and May. The BJP commands the support of 194 members in the Lok Sabha, the Lower house of parliament. The UF has 190 deputies, and the Congress 136. “Twill needs the cooperation of everybody,” he told reporters. “In addition to the front partners, I will also have rapport with the Congress president (Rao) on various issues.” Sources say the BJP planned more protests across the western state of Maharashtra, of which Bombay is the capital, 10 dispute UF criticism of Vajpayee as the leader of a party allegedly biased against India’s estimated 110 million Muslims.

Maharashtra is ruled by an alliance of the BJP and the and rightist Shiv Sena party. 3 Shiv Sena leaders BAL Thackeray said last week the fall of the BIP govern: ment in New Delhi could trigger violence.

Vajpayee was India’s shortest serving prime minister since it independence from Britain in 1947.

But he said in parliament of the UF: “I don’t see your government lasting very long. It’s having difficulties in birth; it will have difficulties in staying alive.”

Article extracted from this publication >>  June 5, 1996