Cong. is enemy number one: Sangma

By Our Special Correspondent

LUCKNOW, AUG. 21. The Nationalist Congress Party will continue to ``treat the Congress as enemy number one, so long as Ms. Sonia Gandhi, a foreigner, heads the organisation,'' the NCP leader, Mr P A Sangma, said here today.

Addressing presspersons during a day's visit to the Uttar Pradesh capital, Mr. Sangma said his party's policy was to maintain equal distance from the two main national parties, the Congress and the BJP. When asked to identify which of the two was its major foe, he said the Congress was trying to thrust Ms. Gandhi on the country as its Prime Minister. So long as she headed the party, the NCP would consider it its ``first enemy''. But his party would have no problem supporting the Congress with someone else at the helm. In that event, the BJP would become its first foe, he said.

Mr. Sangma, who is also a member of the Constitution Review Committee constituted by the Union Government, said he had been consistent in his demand to bar a foreigner from occupying top Constitutional posts. He had raised the question in the Committee and would do so again at its next meeting.

He, however, justified the NCP sharing power with the Congress in Maharashtra on the ground that it was because of political compulsions. If, after the Assembly elections in Maharashtra, the NCP had failed to form a Government, the State would have had to face fresh elections within six months. The alliance with the Congress was only to avoid this situation.

Mr. Sangma said the nation was passing through a phase of political instability. Of the two main national parties, the BJP was fast losing its base while the Congress was sinking. The NCP was trying to occupy the vacant political space during this period of instability.

While justifying the recent increase in the remuneration for Members of Parliament, he said the MPs should simultaneously serve Parliament better. There had been a marked deterioration in the functioning of the Lok Sabha over the years. While 49 per cent of the time was devoted to legislative business earlier, this had come down to 16 per cent. Similarly, while 25 per cent of the time was devoted earlier to debating and passing the budget, only 16 per cent was devoted now to this business. During the past three years, budgets had been passed without debate. This certainly was not an ideal situation, he said.

The principal cause of political decline in the country was the disinterest shown by intellectuals in political matters. Shady characters would continue to rule the roost unless men of character and intellect took up active politics, he said.

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Section  : National
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