BJP hardliners firm on disrupting Parliament

The split within the Bharatiya Janata Party came out in the open on Tuesday after the understanding it had with the government on the smooth running of parliament collapsed leading to adjournments in both the houses of the Parliament. The BJP took a much more strident and aggressive stance vis-à-vis the government.

The hardliners in the BJP led by party president Nitin Gadkari asked the BJP parliamentary party leaders for an explanation on why the government was being let off so easily and why the house was being allowed to run. The division came out in the open in the BJP parliamentary party meeting when it was decided to again disrupt the two houses on the issue of the Commonwealth Games.

Sources said the BJP leaders later told the government that despite their desire and the mutual understanding that the house would run, the hardliners in the BJP were not happy and insisted on disrupting the two houses.

Senior ministers admitted that they were surprised and taken aback by the aggressive posture of the BJP, though the happenings since the last few days sent across an impression that the BJP had become soft while dealing with the government.

While discussing the issue of the Commonwealth Games and the appointment of Suresh Kalmadi in the Lok Sabha, senior BJP leader Yashwant Sinha caused a furore when he openly accused Sports Minister Ajay Maken of being 'influenced' by 'thelis' (bags) when he was All India Congress Committee incharge of Jharkhand, and that the bags were provided by former Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda.

Sinha's remarks created an uproar in the house, but he refused to withdraw his remarks or apologise following which the house had to be adjourned.

BJP Member of Parliament Menaka Gandhi is said to have been upset with Sinha's remarks and complained to BJP leader L K Advani, saying his remarks were not in good taste. She said that because of his remarks the BJP lost an opportunity to target the government and oppose them on the Commonwealth Games.

In the Rajya Sabha, Leader of Opposition Arun Jaitley demanded the resignation of both the prime minister and Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit over the Commonwealth Games. The Congress benches, however, targeted the BJP for making Suresh Kalmadi incharge of the games.

The house was adjourned amidst uproar after a BJP member got up shouting slogans against Congress president Sonia Gandhi calling her a chor.

The BJP member later withdrew his words. The BJP accused Sonia Gandhi of protecting Kalmadi and being instrumental in keeping him as the head of the organising committee of the Commonwealth Games.

Just after a day's disruption into Parliament's Monsoon session, the government and the opposition agreed to cooperate agreeing to a discuss price rise under the voting provision of rule 184. But there is both confusion and multiplicity of command in the BJP with some leaders playing politics to please the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh bosses, while others like Arun Jaitley have adopted a more practical and pragmatic approach in targeting the ruling party but allowing Parliament to run.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Bansal said he was unsure how long and how much the BJP would cooperate in letting the house run.