UF constituents unlikely to ditch Deve Gowda now: Advani

Bharatiya Janata Party president Lal Kishinchand Advani says the Lok Sabha should be convened immediately and Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda seek a fresh vote of confidence.

Since the Lok Sabha not been adjourned sine die, Speaker Purno A Sangma can summon the House at any time before April 21 when it is scheduled to meet again after a month-long recess, Advani told United News of India.

The prime minister has to formally request the Speaker to do so, perhaps on the President's advice, the BJP leader added.

Advani said the Congress would not be able to stop the process of destabilisation which it had started. ''It (the Congress) will never succeed in forming an alternate government,'' the BJP chief said, scoffing at his Congress counterpart Sitaram Kesri staking a claim to form an alternate government ''when the post (of the prime minister) is not vacant.''

The Congress president, the BJP leader said, had taken the decision to withdraw support on the assumption that members of Parliament do not want a general election now. Under the present circumstances, Adsvani felt the chances of any Front constituents ditching ''Mr Deve Gowda were remote.''

Asked about the Tamil Maanila Congress, whose leader G Karupaiah Moopanar is being mentioned as a possible prime ministerial candidate by a section of the Congress leadership, Advani said the TMC might shift its loyalty only if Kesri forms an alternate government.''