UPA is in turmoil: Venkaiah

He also added that the BJP is of the view that the present turn of events may lead to elections.

BJP vice president M Venkaiah Naidu on Monday said the present turn of events at the Centre, in wake of the Congress president Sonia Gandhi's resignation as MP and chairperson of the National Advisory Council (NAC) on the "office of profit" issue, might lead to elections to the Lok Sabha.

HT Image

"All is not well with the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA). The UPA is in turmoil and the political atmosphere is heating up. Anything may happen before or after the Assembly elections in five states," Naidu told newspersons in Chennai.

"There was a lot of uncertainty at the Centre and even some of the Congressmen have demanded dissolution of the Lok Sabha," he said.

He also added that the BJP is of the view that the present turn of events may lead to elections.

Naidu said lack of central command and leadership to lead a coalition and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's lack of control over situation were the two main reasons for the present political turmoil.

Rejecting a suggestion that Gandhi had gained sympathy by resigning from both the posts, he said the Congress president had fallen into the trap they themselves laid.

On the "office of profit" issue, Naidu said the BJP was in favour of a legislation and not in favour of an ordinance. The issue should be discussed in Parliament and the House has to decide what is an office of profit.

After a broad consensus, certain standards have to be set, he added.