NDA Govt. must go, says Jogi

By Our Special Correspondent

TIRUPATI, MARCH 19. The Chhatisgarh Chief Minister, Mr. Ajit Jogi, today demanded that the NDA Government must go ``lock, stock and barrel'' as it has forfeited moral, constitutional and legal authority to stay in power. Mr. Jogi was on a pilgrimage to Tirumala after attending the Congress plenary at Bangalore.

Mr. Jogi made a strident attack on the Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee, who, he alleged was steeped in corruption. Recalling the political resolution adopted by the plenary on the Tehelka exposure, Mr. Jogi said the party's message was loud and clear that the Government which compromised on the territorial sovereignty and security of the country must resign.

On NDA's charge that the Tehelka tapes were a ``ploy'' and a conspiracy hatched by the ISI, Mr. Jogi said that it was an onslaught and a slur on the freedom of the press and freedom of expression. We are fortunate that we still have a free press and you must denounce the deliberate attack on your integrity, he told the mediapersons.

Answering a question whether he believed Mr. Bangaru Laxman was made a scapegoat as he happened to be a Dalit, Mr. Jogi said, ``the story did not start or end with Mr. Laxman''. The highest and the mightiest in the NDA are all involved, he said.

Asked whether the Congress was again at its typical toppling game using the Tehelka issue as the ruse, as was being alleged by the BJP, Mr. Jogi said those in the Congress were all true followers of Mahatma Gandhi. To another question, he said that Ms. Sonia Gandhi's call at the Bangalore session for a Congress-led coalition, was ``misunderstood''.

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Section  : National
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