BJP calls for special session of House

He said that if the government was not going to call for a special session, the BJP would approach President Pratibha Patil and demand the same. "Events in the last week or so have reduced the government to a charade. A little while before there were talks of changing the prime minister and elections coming up and now we see bitter enemies come together," he said.

 

The party said that events in the last few weeks, including events in Jammu and Kashmir, have demonstrated two different ways in which the Congress deals its coalition partners. "In Jammu and Kashmir the government meekly capitulated on the Amaranth issue whereas at the Centre the government appears open to try any avenue to keep the government afloat. It says a lot about the Congress' idea of secularism and governance," said Advani.

The differences between the UPA government and Left allies over the nuclear deal, according to Advani, has paralysed governance for the last 18 months. "When we are faced with challenges like spiraling inflation and threats to internal security this paralysis of the government is an injustice to the people," he said.

Advani likened the change in the UPA allies as a "leg surgery." "It brings to mind events in 1997 when Deve Gowda was replaced by I K Gujral in the United Front government. That was like the legend of Ganesha whose head was replaced by an elephant head, here it is like replacement of legs of the government," he said.