BJP takes a leaf out of NCP book

MUMBAI, NOV 6: Nationalist Congress Party, major partner of Congress-led Democratic Front (DF) Government is facing a piquant situation f...

MUMBAI, NOV 6: Nationalist Congress Party, major partner of Congress-led Democratic Front (DF) Government is facing a piquant situation following the BJP’s decision to move a non-official resolution to provide for a complete ban on election or nomination of foreigners on constitutional posts.“We have decided to move a non-official resolution in both Houses during the winter session commencing at Nagpur from December 13. The resolution, inter-alia, will urge Centre to immediately amend relevant articles of Constitution to provide for complete ban on election/nomination of foreigners for posts of President, Prime Minister or Chief Minister of a state," senior BJP leader Nitin Gadkari told The Indian Express.

Gadkari, also leader of opposition in Upper House, said the non-official resolution signed by requisite number of legislators has already been submitted to legislature secretariat.

He said, before the non-official resolution is taken up for debate, he would personally hold discussions with NCPpresident and former chief minister Sharad Pawar, who was against foreigners holding top constitutional posts.

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“After the BJP and Shiv Sena, it was Pawar, who had raised the foreigner issue. In fact, following his expulsion from Congress, he formed the NCP and his entire campaign during simultaneous polls was against Sonia Gandhi on the ground that she should not be made PM since she is not Indian born," Gadkari added.

Gadkari said though the Congress and NCP have formed the government, the real mandate was against Sonia, since Congress failed to secure a clear majority. “Somehow, they have formed the government despite the fact they did not have a pre-poll alliance like Sena-BJP," Gadkari pointed out.

Whether NCP supports the non-official resolution or not, BJP’s move has certainly put it in a piquant situation, since NCP was formed on platform of the `foreigners’ issue. If the non-official resolution comes up for debate on the floor of the House, the NCP will have to take a stand on the foreigners’issue.

The Congress and NCP had fought simultaneous polls against each other. While Congress emphasised need to dislodge the communal government, the NCP, particularly Sharad Pawar’s plank was against Sonia Gandhi owing to her foreign origin.

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After the outcome of the results, when it became clear that no party was in a position to form the government and that even the Sena-BJP, which had a pre-poll alliance, was also short of majority, Congress and NCP forged an alliance to form government headed by Vilasrao Deshmukh.

Though NCP is major partner of Democratic Front government, it has not given up the foreigners’ issue. During his series of media briefings, Pawar had made it clear that though his party is part of the DF, it was still against a foreigner occupying the PM’s post.

On the other hand, Deshmukh feels that the NCP leader should avoid reference to Sonia Gandhi in larger interest of the DF government.