The Hindu : National : Left trying to hijack mandate, says Jaitley

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, May 18, 2004

National

National

Left trying to hijack mandate, says Jaitley

By Neena Vyas

NEW DELHI, MAY 17. The outgoing Commerce Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson, Arun Jaitley, today directly attacked the Left parties and charged their leaders with making ``outlandish statements'' and trying to ``hijack the mandate'' which they had not got from the people.

The Left had won 60-odd seats, the people had not given them the mandate and there was ``no vindication of Left economic policies'' by the people. But the Left leaders had affected market sentiments by sending negative signals through their statements, he said.

Mr. Jaitley's statement has come against the background of allegations by some Communist Party of India (Marxist) leaders that the BJP was trying to manipulate the market and was responsible for the stock market fall. Mr. Jaitley decried the allegations and said: ``It shows their lack of understanding of the economy and the capital market.''

He accused the Marxists of trying to ``exercise power without responsibility'' and of dictating the economic agenda of the new government.

``Government is serious business. We hope those drafting the agenda of the new government will resist these pressures coming from those who wish to exercise power without responsibility.''

He also advised the market not to panic. There was no reason to do so.

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