ASSEMBLY POLL '98
COMMENTARY
SPECIALS
INTERVIEWS
CAPITAL BUZZ
REDIFF POLL
DEAR REDIFF
THE STATES
YEH HAI INDIA!
ELECTIONS '98
ARCHIVES

Indian National Lok Dal formalises withdrawal of support

The Indian National Lok Dal today formally communicated to President K R Narayanan the party's decision to withdraw support to the 11-month-old Vajpayee government in protest against its move to increase prices of wheat, rice, sugar, urea and cooking gas.

The INLD's decision comes on the eve of the crucial budget session of Parliament. The party's working president Om Prakash Chautala, had been issuing threats to withdraw support over the prices issue for quite some time.

The party, with four members in the Lok Sabha, however, would support the government on specific issues in line with INLD policies.

Chautala, along with the four MPs, met the President in the evening and handed over a letter informing him of the party's decision.

" Ab hum bandhan mukt ho gai hai (Now we are free)," Chautala said after meeting Narayanan in the evening. He said the party members in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha would sit separately.

He said his party would oppose all those decisions of the government that go against farmers and the poor. Any move to impose tax on agricultural income and the patent bill would also be opposed.

Chautala also indicated that his party would support any Congress move to topple the government during the budget session provided it chose a pro-people issue while moving a cut motion, he added.

Tell us what you think of this report