National

Samata plans to counter `boycott' of Fernandes

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI MAY 22. Irked by the continuing ``boycott'' of its leader and Defence Minister, George Fernandes, by the Opposition, the Samata Party is working on a strategy to counter the move which could include the issue of foreign nationals in politics.

The Samata Party would discuss the fallout of the boycott at its two-day National Council meeting to be held at Vijayawada next month between June 15-16. The party president, V.V. Krishna Rao, told The Hindu, that the outfit considers the move against Mr. Fernandes ``a bad precedent which could endanger democratic process'' in the country.

``After the meeting, a strategy to counter and expose the Opposition move would be launched and if necessary, it would talk of the foreign nationals in Indian politics,'' Mr. Rao said.

He said apart from the Fernandes issue, discussions on current political, economic and international situation with special emphasis on India and its neighbours would be held.

The Samata Party, he said, feels that both the Congress and the Left parties were joining hands to target Mr. Fernandes, who is a pivot in the National Democratic Alliance, under the impression that an attack against him would create problems for the alliance.

On the political front, the effort of the party would be directed at challenging the resurgence of the Congress. He said the Samata party would isolate communalism and reminded that the outfit had openly asked the VHP to stop the Ayodhya campaign earlier this year.

The party stood for waging a political battle on programmes and agreed policies and bring back development on the political agenda.

``We want to expose the unholy alliance between the Congress and the Communists who are just opposing the BJP. No one can be pushed into a corner,'' he said and disagreed that those who are with the BJP could be judged in the same light.

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