PDA vows to stake claim

By K. V. Prasad

NEW DELHI, MAY 25. The newly-formed five-party People's Democratic Alliance (PDA) in Manipur comprising 41 MLAs today asserted that it would stake claim to form a Government and began an exercise to garner support among the National Democratic Alliance against imposition of President's rule.

Thirtythree of the 41 PDA legislators, who are here, insisted that the group had a majority in the 60-member State Assembly but would await the outcome of the May 28 meeting between leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Samata Party before moving ahead.

Legislators of the BJP, single largest group in the PDA, were prevented by the party's central leadership from staking claim or associating themselves with the process of forming a government.

The PDA MLAs, who arrived here last night from Imphal, today met the BJP vice-presidents, Mr. Madan Lal Khurana and Mr. Pyare Lal Khandelwal, the general secretary, Mr. Narendra Modi, the Water Resources Minister, Mrs. Bijoya Chakravarty, the Law Minister, Mr. Arun Jaitley, and the Civil Aviation Minister, Mr. Sharad Yadav, to emphasise that the group enjoyed majority and explained the reasons which led them to revolt against Samata-led People's Front Government of Mr. Radhabinod Koijam.

However, the BJP president, Mr. Jana Krishnamurthi, did not grant an audience to the MLAs when they reached the party headquarters while Mr. Modi met representatives of the respective parties. The Agriculture Minister, Mr. Nitish Kumar, also declined to meet the PDA delegation.

Speaking to reporters at the residence of Mr. Sharad Yadav, the Federal Party's Mr. Gangmumei Kamei, spokesman for the PDA, said the Samata should not insist on restoration of the Koijam Government which had lost the trust vote. The situation did not warrant the imposition of Central rule, he added.

``There is no breakdown of the constitutional machinery. The PDA will stake claim (to form a government) after May 28,'' Mr. Kamei said after introducing the MLAs to Mr. Yadav. The PDA leader and BJP member, Mr. R. K. Dorendra Singh, who reached here today, was conspicuous by his absence while the Speaker of the Manipur Assembly, Mr. S. Dhananjoy Singh, met Mr. Yadav separately.

Mr. Yadav, Janata Dal (United) president, was inclined to support the ``majority'' rather than go with the Samata's demand for imposition of President's rule as a way out of the deadlock.

While preferring to keep his counsel, Mr. Yadav said he was hopeful that the May 28 meeting between the BJP and Samata leaders would strengthen the NDA. Before making a final decision the leaders should consider factors such as ``majority'' and conditions in the sensitive State, the JD(U) chief said.

Though appearing sullen, the Samata leadership preferred not to comment on the day's developments. The PDA consists of the BJP - 26 MLAs, Manipur State Congress Party (C) - 10, Federal Party of Manipur and Nationalist Congress Party - two each and one Janata Dal (Loken) legislator.

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