The sincerity of allies of the Congress, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the Trinamool Congress, on the question of roll back of fuel prices, will be put to test soon, BJP leader M. Venkaiah Naidu said on Monday.
Commenting on the general opposition to the budget proposals relating to the rise in prices of petrol and diesel, he said he was happy that both the DMK and the TC had asked for a roll back. “But the question is whether they will be ready to influence the Government of India when the occasion arises,” he told presspersons here.
Asked what kind of action these parties should take, he said: “They are all learned people. They know what to do and how to do. The only thing is that they have to do something,” he said.
Mr. Naidu made it clear the BJP was not in favour of pulling down the Congress-led government over this issue. The government was relatively new and the BJP and the opposition only intended to bring pressure on the government to roll back the hike. “Our only intention is to ensure that people’s interests are safeguarded,” he said.
The BJP was organising a signature campaign against the fuel price hike this month and would hand these over to the President. It would also organise a ‘chalo parliament’ campaign on April 21 pressing the same agenda.
On Minister of State for External Affairs Shashi Tharoor’s comment on Saudi Arabia as an interlocutor, he said the Minister was used to speaking first and issuing clarification in even greater haste. “He has to realise that being a Minister is serious work,” Mr. Naidu said.
