NEW DELHI: All opposition parties and the ruling Janata Dal-S Thursday sought an assurance from president R Venkataraman that the Chandra Shekhar government would be allowed to continue in a care-taking capacity.
Leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party the national front left parties and the ruling Janata Dal-S said this would allow them to cooperate in the passage of money bills before dissolution of the Lok Sabha following the resignation of the minority government.
During their second meeting with Lok Sabha speaker Rabi Ray they said they were entitled to know what the president had in his mind on their demand for dissolution of the house as they feared that the Congress-I might indulge in “manipulative politics” for a “backdoor entry to power”.
Briefing reporters separately the leader of opposition in Lok Sabha L K Advani and Janata Dal leader Prof Madhu Dandavate denied they were putting any conditions on the president a charge the Congress-I leaders made while walking out from the speaker’s meeting.
However in reply to persistent questioning Dandavate conceded there was a link between an assurance from the president and the passing of the money bills including two votes on account of the center and budgets of four states and a union territory.
Congress-I leader Dinesh Singh led his party colleagues out of the meeting protesting against the “conditions” being sought to be imposed on the president for transaction of the financial business and doubts being cast about their party. He made it clear that the Congress-I also was for passage of the financial bills.
The meeting was convened by the speaker following his meetings with the president to finalize the modalities of transactions the financial business.
In a statement the National Front and the left parties said they were aware of the constitutional obligations regarding completion of all budgetary processes and some important legislation before March 31. It had however to be realised that these obligations devolved on all concerned.
We believe that proper climate is necessary for the completion of these processes expeditiously. We trust that towards this end the president will promptly initiate steps to ensure early dissolution of the Lok Sabha followed by fresh elections $0 as to prevent manipulative politics of defections and efforts by any party to come to power by back door either as a caretaker or full-fledged government.
In our opinion the party which has refused in the past to take the responsibility of forming the government at the center should be considered as having forfeited its claim if any to form such a government.
Militants made another bid to blow up the residence of National Conference MP Mr P L Handoo while 10 persons including a militant and a constable were killed and 10 others wounded in continued violence in the Kashmir valley.
Article extracted from this publication >> March 15, 1991
