By IANS,
Bhopal: Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj Monday said there was nothing wrong in the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) decision to support a Shibu Soren-led Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) government in Jharkhand, as he had been absolved of murder charges by the high court.
“The party’s parliamentary board was unanimous on the decision of joining hands with Soren and there were no differences in the party over forming a government with him in Jharkhand,” she told media persons during her first visit to the city after taking over from L.K. Advani.
“There were three options before us. One to let president’s rule prevail which would have meant UPA (United Progressive Alliance)-rule through the governor, second to allow the Congress to form the government, and the third option was to form the government with the JMM,” Sushma Swaraj said.
In this age of coalition politics, the BJP would do everything appropriate to keep the Congress out of power, she added.
Sushma Swaraj said she agreed to be the leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha on the assurance that she would continue to get guidance from Advani, who is now the chairman of the BJP parliamentary board. The BJP will play the role of “patriotic opposition”, she said.
“We will not oppose any government move just for the sake of opposing it but will support any move which would be in the interest of the nation and its people. However, we will also not allow the government to make any such policy or programme which is not in the interest of the country,” she said.
Sushma Swaraj also denied that the name of Nitin Gadkari to head the party was proposed by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). “It was wrong to say that Gadkari has been imposed on the party by the RSS leadership. His name came from within the party. Otherwise also, RSS does not command the goings on in the party,” she said.
She also assured the people of her constituency (Vidisha) and Madhya Pradesh that despite her new responsibility, she would continue to be in touch with them and meet them regularly as earlier.