BJP allies fine tune strategy

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, DEC. 13. The discomfort that some of the constituents of the NDA felt came to the fore today with the Lok Sabha members belonging to seven parties meeting here to fine tune their strategy, ahead of the scheduled voting tomorrow on the ongoing discussion on Ayodhya issue in the House.

Leaders of the Telugu Desam Party, the DMK, the Trinamool Congress, the Samata Party, the Janata Dal (United), the National Conference and the Indian National Lok Dal met in the Parliament House and decided to ``wait and watch'' the course the discussion took.

The broad consensus was that the so long as the Government remained committed to the NDA manifesto, the allies could continue to sail with the coalition and weather the storm being generated by the Opposition.

Sources in the TDP said the party was following the debate and would assess the issues to be highlighted.

The TDP Parliamentary Party leader, Mr. K. Yerran Naidu, the sources said, spoke to the Defence Minister and NDA convener, Mr. George Fernandes, while seven allies leaders met separately in the room of the Trinamool Congress leader and Railway Minister, Ms. Mamata Banerjee.

The TDP preferred to participate in the debate tomorrow. The TDP with 29 MPs has been extending crucial support to the NDA which at present has 303 MPs in a House of 545.

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