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Chautala to support govt

The prospect of the beleagured 13-month-old Vajpayee government winning the crucial vote of confidence in the Lok Sabha tomorrow brightened with the four-member Indian National Lok Dal deciding to extend unconditional support to it in the ''national interest.''

Addressing a press conference, INLD president Om Parkash Chautala said he had taken the decision in the national interest. He addressed the press at the home of Minister of State for Industry Sukhbir Singh Badal, son of Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal who was also present.

Chautala said his party would vote in favour of the BJP-led coalition government to stall the Congress from coming to power.

His volte face from his repeated statements of voting against the Vajpayee government came just before the six-member DMK group's assurance that it would vote in support of the confidence motion.

In another significant development, Chautala disclosed he was in touch with the five-member Bahujan Samaj Party to enlist its support for the Vajpayee government.

He said his party had supported the Vajpayee government in March last year because of its ''pro-poor'' attitude, but later withdrew its support after the hike in the prices of wheat, rice, cooking gas and urea.

''Now we have reconsidered our decision and will support the government in the larger national interest,'' he added.

Chautala complimented Vajpayee for daring the Opposition to disclose the name of the next prime minister before his government was voted out to end political uncertainty.

The INLD leader recalled that while withdrawing support to the Vajpayee government two months ago, he had made it clear that though his party was walking out of the ruling coalition it would not lend support to the ''anti-farmer'' Congress-led government under any circumstances.

''We are again supporting the government in the profound hope that at least this time it will not ditch the farmers,'' he added.

Chautala ridiculed those who were visualising a split in the INLD and said it was only a figment of the media's imagination. ''We are one and we will remain one,'' he asserted.

Anand Mohan, the sole Rashtriya Janata Party MP, also announced his support to the government much to the RLM's chagrin. The RJP is a constituent of the Rashtriya Lok Morcha and its leader Shankarsinh Vaghela -- who broke away from the BJP two years ago -- claimed that Anand Mohan would toe the RLM line and oppose the government.

UNI

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