The partners of the United Progressive Alliance would no longer carry “the burden of a corruption-ridden” Congress and the government at the Centre was likely to crumble “like a pack of cards”, BJP national spokesman Rajiv Pratap Rudy said on Saturday.
“There is growing uneasiness and restlessness among UPA allies like DMK, TMC and NCP and others. They are afraid of carrying the burden of the corruption-ridden Congress and its government at the Centre is likely to crumble like a pack of cards,” Mr. Rudy told reporters here.
“Anti-Congress sentiments have cropped up among the people because of corruption, water treaty, land granting treaty and terrorism and the atmosphere is completely against the Congress government,” Mr. Rudy claimed.
Describing the Congress as “a sinking ship”, Mr. Rudy said, “UPA allies don’t appear to be in a mood to go ahead with this sinking ship.”
He claimed that the credibility of the Congress-led government had gradually eroded and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh “who has virtually lost control over his cabinet colleagues” should put in his papers.
He said now that the official notes pertaining to the go ahead to former telecom minister A. Raja for allocation of the spectrum have surfaced, the Prime Minister should own moral responsibility and resign.
Mr. Raja, he said, had admitted in court that the 2G spectrum deal was done with the full consent of former Finance Minister P Chidambaram and the Prime Minister.
Claiming that Mr. Raja alone was not capable of the Rs. 1.76 lakh crore 2G spectrum scam, Mr. Rudy said, “Chidambaram had given his consent to Raja for the allocation which has been proved by the official documents uncovered at this stage.”
Criticising the Congress for the land agreement India had arrived at with Bangladesh, he said, “The way the land of people of Meghalaya was conceded to Bangladesh has proved beyond doubt that the Congress has no love for the nation.”
He said though the Trinamool Congress chief was opposed to the water treaty with Bangladesh, the government ditched her.
Referring to Anna Hazare’s decision to campaign against the Congress in Hisar Lok Sabha by-poll in Haryana, the party leader said there was growing resentment among the people.
The resentment is against “the concoction and cocktail” of price rise, corruption, terror, water treaty and grant of land to Bangladesh by the Congress government, he said.
“Now there is a demand for change in the country and therefore, the BJP has strongly endorsed senior BJP leader L K Advani’s Rashtriya Chetna Yatra for good governance and clean politics.”
Yatra not for 'Advani as PM'
Denying reports that Mr. Advani’s yatra is to to project himself as the prime ministerial candidate, Mr. Rudy said, “BJP believes that the yatra can prove to be a yatra for change in the country.”
“I would like to keep the records straight that the BJP has not decided on the candidature of the prime minister’s post,” Mr. Rudy said.
On reports that some senior party leaders had termed the yatra as “untimely”, he said, “these are all speculations.”
“Firstly, party president Nitin Gadkari gave his consent to the yatra and then the BJP national executive during its two-day meeting strongly endorsed it,” he said.
He claimed it was an issue-based yatra having the support of all partymen and leaders.
In reply to a question, Mr. Rudy said the party had asked its chief ministers to prepare for welcoming Mr. Advani’s yatra in their respective states.
He said Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi will be engaged in the preparations in his state which was why he would not be present at Sitab Diara in Saran district in Bihar where Chief Minister Nitish Kumar would flag off the yatra on October 11.
Senior party leaders Arun Jaitley and Sushma Swaraj would also be present, Mr. Rudy said.
