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Advani, Delhi Govt. row snowballing

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI OCT. 12. The war of words between the Sheila Dikshit-led Congress Government in Delhi and the Deputy Prime Minister, L.K. Advani, threatens to widen the gulf between the Centre and the State. The casualty could be the talks between the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress Government on the issue of Statehood.

The Chief Minister, Sheila Dikshit, said Mr. Advani had not addressed the "real concerns" of the Delhi Government and, instead, sought to politicise the issue and defend the wrong. He had also been silent on why the Delhi Government was not consulted before the amendments to the Transaction of Business Rules were made.

Ms. Dikshit's rejoinder has upset the Delhi BJP, which took a strong note of the tone and tenor of the communication sent to Mr. Advani. Terming the letter as an "act of frustration", the Delhi BJP president, Madan Lal Khurana, said Ms. Dikshit was making a hue and cry over a non-issue. "If she was so much concerned about the powers of Delhi, then she should hasten the process of talks with the BJP on Statehood and ensure that a Bill is introduced in the winter session of Parliament in this regard.''

Charging Ms. Dikshit with only doing "lip service" and not being serious about Statehood, Mr. Khurana said it was three days since she made an announcement of an invitation to the BJP for talks.

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