NDA stands united behind Govt.

By Neena Vyas

NEW DELHI, MARCH 14. The National Democratic Alliance today closed ranks and decided to stand united behind the Government, but the unity and solidarity show was all but ruined by the Trinamool Congress which not only stayed away from the NDA meeting at the Prime Minister's residence this evening but struck a separate and discordant note.

Another potential dissenting voice, that of the Lok Shakti leader, Mr. Ramakrishna Hegde, was virtually silenced as the invitation to him for the meeting was suddenly ``cancelled'' after he was heard telling some persons that he would demand the resignation of the Samata Party leader and Defence Minister, Mr. George Fernandes.

With one voice, the rest of the NDA, whose convenor is Mr. Fernandes himself, stated that they continued to have faith in the leadership of the Prime Minister, Mr. A.B. Vajpayee, and that they did not think any resignation of Ministers was called for. The view was that the so-called incriminating tapes mention the names of nearly a dozen Ministers and how can the NDA get rid of them all? So, the decision was that none should go.

Remarkably, the meeting was in fact ``conducted'' by Mr. Fernandes, who as convenor, was the master of ceremonies, despite the general perception that his integrity stood more than compromised by the Tehelka tapes. Apparently, the Prime Minister, who chaired the meeting, was mostly silent.

Mr. Murasoli Maran, DMK leader and Minister for Commerce, who briefed the press later, admitted that no one sought an explanation from Mr. Fernandes and the question of his resignation was not directly discussed. Later, it was also confirmed that none of the NDA partners thought it fit that the resignation issue should be discussed at the meeting after asking Mr. Fernandes to leave the room.

At the end of a meeting that lasted just over an hour, the conclusion was that the Government had done well to offer a ``thorough probe'' or any kind of inquiry that Parliament decides or what the Opposition may want by consensus. And only after guilt was established, punishment would be meted out, even as the reputation of the innocent persons would not be allowed to be tarnished.

As for the tapes which showed the Samata president, Ms. Jaya Jaitly, talking to a so-called defence wheeler-dealer at the official residence of the Defence Minister, the NDA felt that it was an ``internal matter of the Samata Party.'' The NDA had nothing to do with it.

Except the Trinamool Congress, representatives of all other allies were present. As for the Telugu Desam Party, which has been extending outside support to the Government, it has never attended NDA meetings even when invited.

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