PM satisfies Trinamool, TDP on pro-temple remark

NEW DELHI, DEC 7: Two key allies of BJP, Trinamool Congress and Telugu Desam, today met Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and discussed ...

NEW DELHI, DEC 7: Two key allies of BJP, Trinamool Congress and Telugu Desam, today met Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and discussed his yesterday’s remarks on the Ayodhya issue after which they said they were "satisifed" with his explanation.

Maintaining that the Prime Minister told them that he was never in favour of the demolition of the Babri Masjid, Telugu Desam leader K Yerrannaidu and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee told reporters after their meeting that "Prime Minister explained his remarks on the issue and we are now satisifed."

The two allies had yesterday expressed unhappiness over Vajpayee’s remarks that construction of Ram temple at Ayodhya was an expression of national sentiment which was yet to be realised.

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The two leaders said that Vajpayee assured them that the Government was committed to the National Agenda for Governance and it would not go beyond it.

To a question on the Opposition demand for resignation of three ministers including L K Advani, Yerrannaidu said that "law will take its own course."

Meanwhile, Human Resource Development Minister Murli Manohar Joshi today preferred to remain non-committal on the issue of the opposition demand for the resignation of chargesheeted ministers including him, saying that the Prime Minister has already spoken on it.

“The Prime Minister has already said (on the issue) and I have nothing to add,” Joshi said.

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Asked whether the Prime Minister’s remarks were prompted by the Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, the Minister said “Assembly elections in UP is one year away”.