Minority Govt Has No Right To Present Budget: Bjp

On the eve of Parliaments budget session, the BJP has launched an all-out attack on the United Front government, saying it has no right to present the budget since it does not have majority support.

This would be an exception in the countrys parliamentary history that a minority government would present a budget, BJP vice-president KL Sharma said yesterday. Budget presentation by such a government will be a strange thing, to be watched carefully, he added.

Though Sharma has taken a harsh line, stating on Monday that the BJP may consider moving a no-confidence motion, some other senior party leaders dont agree. They hold that the no confidence idea was Sharams personal opinion, which had only publicity value.

 

Instead of moving a no-confidence motion, many BJP leaders would like to wait for other parties, particularly the Congress, to initiate the move, so that the government could actually be thrown out, a senior BJP office-bearer said.

The BJPs parliamentary party executive, which is scheduled to meet today, is expected to chalk out the partys parliamentary strategy.

Sharma signalled an aggressive approach yesterday. Any crisis can arise in budget presentation, he said, adding that the BJP apprehended this session, like the earlier one, to be non-functioning.

Absence of coordination within the government made the last session non-functioning and Parliament could not pass important bills, like the bill to reserve legislative seats for women, despite the seriousness with which they were prepared, Sharma said.

The Congress and the CPM, whch support the government without participating in it, have expressed reservations publicly with the governments functioning on various issues, he pointed out. Plus, there is no cohesion among partners in the government, he added.