New Delhi, Aug 19 (IANS) The country is heading for mid-term polls, the main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) predicted Sunday, as it smelt an opportunity in the political impasse between the government and its Left supporters over the India-US nuclear deal.
“The top BJP leadership met and deliberated on the current political situation. It came to the conclusion that mid-term polls are inevitable and round the corner,” party vice president Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said.
He was referring to the political scene emerging after the Left parties that support the Manmohan Singh government from outside Saturday threatened “serious consequences” if the nuclear deal was not put on hold.
Former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha L.K. Advani, BJP president Rajnath Singh, Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Jaswant Singh, senior leaders Sushma Swaraj, Arun Jaitley and Naqvi attended the meet at Vajpayee’s residence.
They also decided to press on with their demand to discuss the Indo-US nuclear deal only under Rule 184 of the Lok Sabha rules, which requires a vote after the debate.
The BJP will talk to the leaders of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), the coalition it leads, to secure their support in the two houses of parliament, said Naqvi.
The NDA meeting is likely to be held Monday morning.