DATE=4/14/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-248062
TITLE=INDIA POLITICS (L)
BYLINE=JIM TEEPLE
DATELINE=NEW DELHI
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: INDIA'S COALITION GOVERNMENT IS TEETERING ON THE BRINK OF
COLLAPSE FOLLOWING THE ANNOUNCEMENT A KEY COALITION PARTNER IS
OFFICIALLY WITHDRAWING ITS SUPPORT. CORRESPONDENT JIM TEEPLE
REPORTS FROM NEW DELHI, A VOTE OF CONFIDENCE COULD COME IN
PARLIAMENT WITHIN DAYS, BUT INDIA'S EMBATTLED PRIME MINISTER SAYS
HE IS CONFIDENT HIS GOVERNMENT WILL SURVIVE.
TEXT: IT WAS THE ANNOUNCEMENT THAT HAD BEEN ANTICIPATED FOR
WEEKS. FORMER MOVIE ACTRESS JAYARAM JAYALALITHA, WHO HEADS A
POWERFUL REGIONAL PARTY FROM THE SOUTHERN INDIAN STATE OF TAMIL
NADU, SAYS SHE IS PULLING OUT OF THE GOVERNMENT OF PRIME MINISTER
ATAL BEHARI VAJPAYEE.
MS. JAYALITHA CONTROLS 18-SEATS IN PARLIAMENT. THE MOVE
EFFECTIVELY STRIPS THE PRIME MINISTER OF HIS MAJORITY.
MS. JAYALITHA SAYS SHE DOES NOT BELIEVE HER DECISION TO WITHDRAW
SUPPORT FROM THE GOVERNMENT WILL RESULT IN EARLY ELECTIONS
BECAUSE SHE SAYS SHE IS CONFIDENT SHE AND THE OPPOSITION WILL BE
ABLE TO FORM A GOVERNMENT. SHE SAYS SHE WILL SUPPORT A VOTE OF
NO-CONFIDENCE AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT WHEN PARLIAMENT RECONVENES
THURSDAY.
// INSERT ACTUALITY //
I AM QUITE CONFIDENT THAT THE OPPOSITION PARTIES WILL
SUCCEED IN FORMING A NEW VIABLE GOVERNMENT AND WE WILL
SEE TO IT THAT THERE ARE NO MID-TERM POLLS.
// END ACTUALITY //
// OPT // FOLLOWING THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF HER WITHDRAWAL, SEVERAL
LEADING MEMBERS OF THE OPPOSITION "CONGRESS PARTY" CALLED FOR
PRIME MINISTER VAJPAYEE TO STEP DOWN, SAYING HIS GOVERNMENT HAD
NO AUTHORITY TO REMAIN IN OFFICE.
MR. VAJPAYEE IS LEFT WITH ABOUT 254-SEATS, WELL BELOW THE
272-SEATS HE NEEDS TO COMMAND A MAJORITY IN THE 545-SEAT LOWER
HOUSE OF PARLIAMENT. // END OPT //
PRIME MINISTER VAJPAYEE SAYS HE REMAINS CONFIDENT CALLING JAYARAM
JAYALALITHA'S MOVE NOTHING MORE THAN AN ATTEMPT TO DESTABILIZE
HIS GOVERNMENT. THE PRIME MINISTER SAYS HE WILL BE ABLE TO STAY
IN POWER WITH THE HELP OF SMALLER PARTIES IN PARLIAMENT.
K. BALAKRISHNAN THE DIRECTOR OF POLLING FOR "THE TIMES OF INDIA"
MEDIA GROUP SAYS MR. VAJPAYEE IS IN A STRONGER POSITION THAN MANY
PEOPLE REALIZE.
// INSERT ACTUALITY //
MANY OF THE OPPOSITION PARTIES, AND EVEN A FORMER ALLY
LIKE JAYALALITHA, WANT THE GOVERNMENT TO FALL BUT NO ONE
WANTS TO MAKE THE FIRST MOVE BECAUSE THE ALTERNATIVE
DOES NOT SEEM FEASIBLE, AND THAT IS AN ALTERNATIVE THAT
IS ACCEPTABLE TO EVERYONE AND WHICH CAN COMMAND A
MAJORITY. AND ALSO NO ONE, NOT ONE M-P (MEMBER OF
PARLIAMENT) FROM ANY PARTY, WANTS TO FACE ELECTIONS
AGAIN.
// END ACTUALITY //
MR. BALAKRISHNAN AND OTHER ANALYSTS SAY EVEN IF NEW ELECTIONS ARE
CALLED THERE IS NO INDICATION A STRONGER GOVERNMENT WOULD EMERGE
AFTER THE VOTES ARE COUNTED. IF ELECTIONS ARE CALLED IT WILL BE
THE THIRD TIME IN FOUR YEARS THAT INDIAN VOTERS GO TO THE POLLS.
(SIGNED)
NEB/JLT/RAE
14-Apr-99 8:25 AM EDT (1225 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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