BJP allies draw Advani’s flak for "bullying" Govt

JHINJHOULI, FEB 14: Union Home Minister L K Advani today criticised the BJP allies at the Centre saying even parties with just three or f...

JHINJHOULI, FEB 14: Union Home Minister L K Advani today criticised the BJP allies at the Centre saying even parties with just three or four MPs were "bullying" the Vajpayee-led coalition with their frequent threats of withdrawal of support, affecting the image of the government.

"The daily threats of withdrawal of support by the allies were affecting the image of the government and since the BJP needed the support of parties having (even) three to four MPs in the Lok Sabha, they are trying to bully the government," Advani said in his valedictory address at the three-day training camp of Mahila Morcha here.

"If we had not staked our claim to form the government after having 190 MPs, people would have been disappointed. It was a difficult decision but we did so and took support of parties with even three to four members in Lok Sabha," he said.

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Advani said despite these "hurdles" for effective functioning, there were several credits to the Vajpayee government including the Pokharan nuclear tests,resolving the Cauvery water dispute and steps taken to increase tourists flow to Kashmir valley.

Having a dig at its ally, Shiv Sena, he said the government took the threat of Sena to stop the Indo-Pak cricket series as a challenge as "we felt that the matches should be played since millions of people in this country were interested in watching an India-Pakistan cricket match."