DATE=4/16/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-248185
TITLE=INDIA POLITICS (L)
BYLINE=JIM TEEPLE
DATELINE=NEW DELHI
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: INDIA'S BELEAGUERED HINDU NATIONALIST DOMINATED COALITION
GOVERNMENT GOT A SMALL BOOST OF SUPPORT ON FRIDAY. A SMALL PARTY
THAT CONTROLS FOUR SEATS IN PARLIAMENT ANNOUNCED IT WAS THROWING
ITS SUPPORT TO PRIME MINISTER ATAL BEHARI VAJPAYEE. V-O-A'S
JIM TEEPLE REPORTS THAT THE OUTCOME FOR A SCHEDULED VOTE OF
CONFIDENCE SET FOR SATURDAY IS STILL TOO CLOSE TO CALL.
// INSERT ACTUALITY OF SHOUTING //
TEXT: IT WAS AS HOT INSIDE PARLIAMENT FRIDAY AS IT WAS OUTSIDE.
AS M-P'S CAME AND WENT IN THE SWELTERING SUN, DEBATE RAGED INSIDE
PARLIAMENT. ALLIES OF PRIME MINISTER ATAL BEHARI VAJPAYEE OPENLY
QUESTIONED WHETHER ITALIAN-BORN SONIA GANDHI, THE LEADER OF THE
OPPOSITION CONGRESS PARTY COULD LEAD INDIA -- CALLING HER A
FOREIGNER.
CONGRESS PARTY LEADERS AND THEIR ALLIES CONTINUE TO EXPRESS
OPTIMISM ABOUT BRINGING DOWN MR. VAJAPEE'S COALITION GOVERNMENT
IN A CONFIDENCE VOTE ON SATURDAY.
ON WEDNESDAY, A KEY COALITION PARTNER IN THE VAJPAYEE GOVERNMENT,
JAYARAM JAYALALITHA, WHO CONTROLS 18 SEATS IN PARLIAMENT WITHDREW
SUPPORT FROM THE GOVERNMENT SPARKING THE CRISIS. MS.
JAYALALITHA, WHO HEADS A REGIONAL PARTY FROM THE SOUTHERN INDIAN
STATE OF TAMIL NADU, SAYS SHE HAS NO DOUBTS HER FORMER ALLIES
WILL BE OUT OF A JOB ON SATURDAY AND THAT A NEW GOVERNMENT WILL
EMERGE.
// INSERT JAYALALITHA ACTUALITY //
THE VOTING IS ON SATURDAY -- THIS GOVERNMENT WILL FALL
ON SATURDAY. AFTER THAT YOU WILL FIND THAT THINGS WILL
BEGIN TO HAPPEN WITH LIGHTENING SPEED.
// END ACTUALITY //
SATURDAY'S CONFIDENCE VOTE WILL BE THE FIFTH IN THREE YEARS. IF
MR. VAJPAYEE LOSES HE IS OUT OF A JOB. IF HE LOSES AND NO
GOVERNMENT CAN BE FORMED, NEW ELECTIONS MUST BE CALLED FOR THE
THIRD TIME IN FOUR YEARS.
// OPT // EARLY FRIDAY, THINGS LOOKED BLEAK FOR THE PRIME
MINISTER. HE WAS WELL SHORT OF THE 271 VOTES ANALYSTS SAY HE
NEEDS TO ACHIEVE A SIMPLE MAJORITY IN PARLIAMENT AND STAY IN
OFFICE. HOWEVER, LATE IN THE DAY MR. VAJPAYEE PICKED UP FOUR
VOTES FROM A SMALL FARMERS PARTY IN NORTH INDIA TO ADD TO SIX
VOTES HE PICKED UP ON THURSDAY FROM ANOTHER SMALL PARTY IN
SOUTHERN INDIA. ALSO LATE IN THE DAY, ONE INDEPENDENT M-P
SIGNALED HE, TOO, WILL BACK MR. VAJPAYEE, PUTTING THE PRIME
MINISTER ONE OR TWO VOTES SHY OF A MAJORITY AND ABOUT EIGHT VOTES
AHEAD OF THE CONGRESS PARTY. // END OPT //
MR. VAJPAYEE IS COUNTING ON THE SUPPORT OF SMALLER REGIONAL
PARTIES TO PUT HIS GOVERNMENT OVER THE TOP ON SATURDAY. VENKAIAH
NAIDU, A SPOKESMAN FOR THE HINDU-NATIONALIST BHARITIYA JANATA
PARTY OF PRIME MINISTER VAJPAYEE SAYS THE PRIME MINISTER'S
STRATEGY IS PAYING OFF.
// INSERT NAIDU ACTUALITY //
WE ARE NOT IN TOUCH WITH INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS WE ARE IN
TOUCH WITH POLITICAL PARTIES. WE HAVE GIVEN AN OPEN
CALL FOR REALIGNMENT. I'M HAPPY THAT THE REALIGNMENT IS
TAKING PLACE AND THAT IT HAS ALREADY STARTED.
// END ACTUALITY //
STILL THE VOTE IN INDIA'S LOK SABHA, OR LOWER HOUSE OF
PARLIAMENT, IS TOO CLOSE TO CALL. NEWS OF THE PRIME MINISTER'S
CHANGING FORTUNES CAUSED INDIA'S STOCK MARKET TO JUMP MORE THAN
SIX-PERCENT LATE FRIDAY. ANALYSTS SAY THE JUMP HAS LESS TO DO
WITH MR. VAJPAYEE'S POPULARITY AND MORE WITH INVESTORS' HOPES
THAT IF THE PRIME MINISTER SURVIVES ON SATURDAY HIS GOVERNMENT
WILL BE ABLE TO PASS A BUDGET. (SIGNED)
NEB/JLT/LTD/GE
16-Apr-99 8:11 AM EDT (1211 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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