Vajpayee promises 'straightforward' govt, moves trust vote motion
Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee today promised in the Lok Sabha a 'straightforward' government that would 'reverse the political uncertainties of the last 18 months'.
Moving the motion of confidence in the council of ministers, he
said the Bharatiya Janata Party and its allies now command a majority and would be able to provide an 'effective administration'.
He said he did not stake claim to form the government soon after
the election as he was 'short of numbers'.
The prime minister said he had conveyed to President K R Narayanan his apprehensions in this regard. That was why the President explored the possibility of government-making with the others, including Congress president Sonia Gandhi.
The Congress did not make an attempt at forming a government as nobody would trust it, considering its background of pulling down governments.
Vajpayee said no party except the BJP combine finally came
forward to form a government.
The prime minister said the President was keen to entrust the
government to the BJP combine as it emerged as the largest group after the election and an alliance had been worked out before going to the voters.
In a spirited speech, while moving the motion, the prime minister
defended the policies and programmes of his BJP-led coalition
government.
He said various sectors of national life, particularly the economy, has suffered heavily during the previous coalition governments which were not stable enough.
His government was fully determined to reverse the situation and consult all on vital issues.
The prime minister said the BJP and its allies were committed to the nation's development and would try to revitalise the economy and productive sectors that had suffered during the previous
coalition governments.
About the Centre-state relations, he said the government would give more powers to the states, so that the chief ministers did not have to rush to Delhi frequently.
Vajpayee said he was not unduly worried about the lack of a
clear majority to his government, as the 'majority and minority
governments' were inherent in democracy.
He said the BJP and its allies have the mandate to rule the country in the absence of a clear majority for any party.
He compared democracy to an eternal stream that modified itself in the course of its flow. He added that the present coalition was an adjustment to the flow of democracy.
Vajpayee said the alliance the BJP had forged had 'electrified'
the voters and worked wonders in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Orissa and West Bengal.
The motion would be put to vote tomorrow.
UNI
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Elections '98
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