Talk, not disrupt, is new BJP plan

With walkouts in Parliament and tough talk on key issues, the BJP is crafting a new approach to corner the Manmohan Singh government in its second term, reports Shekhar Iyer.

With walkouts in Parliament and tough talk on key issues, the BJP is crafting a new approach to corner the Manmohan Singh government in its second term. There will be no more disruption of proceedings in either House but greater efforts will be made by BJP leaders to articulate the party’s position to show the government in a bad light.

HT Image

In this bid, the party has been encouraged by the fact that other Opposition parties as well as UPA allies (like the DMK) are uncomfortable with the latest decisions of the government. It also believes that the government’s moves haven’t got approval from the Congress.

With a structured debate on the Indo-Pak statement slated for July 29, the BJP expects the heat on the government to increase on what transpired between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Pakistani counterpart Yousaf Raza Gilani on the sidelines of the NAM summit in Egypt.

A day after his meeting with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Advani believed he had only helped the government ward off pressures to resume talks with Pakistan — by conveying to her that any dialogue with Pakistan before it acts on terrorism won’t get India’s support.