DATE=4/15/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-248126
TITLE=INDIA / POLITICS / L
BYLINE=JIM TEEPLE
DATELINE=NEW DELHI
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: DEBATE BEGAN IN INDIA'S PARLIAMENT THURSDAY OVER THE FATE
OF PRIME MINISTER ATAL BEHARI VAJPAYEE'S 15-MONTH COALITION
GOVERNMENT. INDIA'S PRESIDENT ASKED THE PRIME MINISTER TO SEEK A
VOTE OF CONFIDENCE AFTER A KEY COALITION PARTNER WITHDREW FROM
THE GOVERNMENT, WEDNESDAY. V-O-A'S JIM TEEPLE REPORTS A VOTE OF
CONFIDENCE COULD COME AT ANY TIME, BUT IS NOT EXPECTED UNTIL
SATURDAY.
TEXT: A CONFIDENT PRIME MINISTER VAJPAYEE SAYS HIS GOVERNMENT
WILL SURVIVE THE CONFIDENCE VOTE, WHICH IS EXPECTED MIDDAY
SATURDAY.
FOLLOWING THE WITHDRAWAL OF THE COALITION PARTNER, MR. VAJPAYEE
WAS LEFT WITH ABOUT 245 SEATS -- WELL BELOW THE 272 SEATS HE
NEEDS TO COMMAND A MAJORITY IN THE 545-SEAT LOK SABHA -- THE
LOWER HOUSE OF PARLIAMENT.
IN A SHIFT FROM ITS EARLIER POSITION, THE OPPOSITION CONGRESS
PARTY SAYS IT IS NOW WILLING TO LEAD A COALITION, IF THE
GOVERNMENT FALLS. MADHAVRAO SCINDHIA -- THE GENERAL SECRETARY OF
THE CONGRESS PARTY AND A MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT -- SAYS THE
NUMBERS DO NOT LOOK GOOD FOR MR. VAJPAYEE.
// SCINDHIA ACTUALITY //
OBVIOUSLY THE ARITHMETIC OF THE LOK SABHA (LOWER HOUSE
OF PARLIAMENT) SEEMS TO BE AGAINST THE B-J-P COALITION
GOVERNMENT. I THINK THE PRESIDENT HAS BEEN VERY CORRECT
IN ASKING THEM SEEK THE VOTE OF CONFIDENCE AGAIN IN THE
HOUSE.
// END ACTUALITY //
// OPT // LAST YEAR, MR. VAJPAYEE SURVIVED A VOTE OF CONFIDENCE
BY 13 VOTES. NOW THE PRIME MINISTER IS SEEKING TO STAY IN POWER
WITH THE HELP OF SMALLER REGIONAL POWERS. // OPT //
THE VOTE IN THE LOK SABHA IS REGARDED AS TOO CLOSE TO CALL. IF
THE PRIME MINISTER LOSES, HE MUST LEAVE OFFICE. IF HE LOSES AND
NO GOVERNMENT CAN BE FORMED, NEW ELECTIONS WILL BE CALLED FOR THE
THIRD TIME IN FOUR YEARS. GEORGE FERNANDEZ -- INDIA'S DEFENSE
MINISTER AND THE LEADER OF THE SMALL SAMATA (EQUALITY) PARTY, A
COALITION PARTNER OF MR. VAJPAYEE -- SAYS HE BELIEVES THE PRIME
MINISTER WILL SURVIVE A VOTE OF CONFIDENCE AND THAT NEW ELECTIONS
COULD ALSO BE WON BY THE CURRENT GOVERNMENT.
// FERNANDEZ ACTUALITY //
IF THERE IS GOING TO A POLL IT WILL BE BETTER FOR THE
COUNTRY, BECAUSE YOU WILL THEN HAVE A MUCH STRONGER
GOVERNMENT THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO GET.
// END ACTUALITY //
IF THE OPPOSITION CONGRESS PARTY FORMS THE NEXT GOVERNMENT,
INDIA'S MOST-LIKELY PRIME MINISTER WOULD BE SONIA GANDHI -- THE
ITALIAN-BORN WIDOW OF FORMER PRIME MINISTER RAJIV GANDHI. A NEW
POLL RELEASED THURSDAY BY THE "TIMES OF INDIA" MEDIA GROUP, SAYS
THREE-QUARTERS OF INDIANS SURVEYED BELIEVE SONIA GANDHI WOULD NOT
MAKE A BETTER PRIME MINISTER THAN ATAL BEHARI VAJPAYEE.
(SIGNED)
NEB / JLT / WD / WD
15-Apr-99 6:02 AM EDT (1002 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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