DATE=4/23/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-248526
TITLE=INDIA POLITICS (L-UPDATE)
BYLINE=JIM TEEPLE
DATELINE=NEW DELHI
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: INDIA'S CONGRESS PARTY HAS BEEN GIVEN ONE MORE CHANCE TO
FORM A GOVERNMENT. EARLY FRIDAY THE CONGRESS PARTY APPEARED TO
HAVE FAILED TO GET THE NECESSARY VOTES FOR A MAJORITY IN
PARLIAMENT. VOA'S JIM TEEPLE REPORTS IF THE CONGRESS PARTY
CANNOT ACHIEVE A MAJORITY IN PARLIAMENT, EARLY ELECTIONS COULD BE
THE RESULT.
TEXT: SONIA GANDHI -- THE ITALIAN-BORN WIDOW OF FORMER PRIME
MINISTER RAJIV GANDHI -- MET WITH INDIA'S PRESIDENT K.R.
NARAYANAN FRIDAY NIGHT TO ASK FOR MORE TIME TO GET THE 272 VOTES
SHE NEEDS TO FORM A GOVERNMENT. INDIA'S PRESIDENT HAS TO APPROVE
ANY NEW GOVERNMENT.
MRS. GANDHI, THE LEADER OF THE CONGRESS PARTY SAYS SHE HAS
LETTERS OF SUPPORT FOR 233 VOTES AND WILL BE ABLE TO GET THE REST
SOON. SHE SAYS THE PRESIDENT GRANTED HER REQUEST BUT SHE DOES
NOT HAVE MUCH TIME.
// INSERT GANDHI ACTUALITY //
I HAVE BEEN TOLD TO DO WHATEVER WE HAVE TO DO AS SOON AS
POSSIBLE.
// END ACTUALITY //
IN AN APPARENT SHIFT FROM HER EARLIER POSITION, MRS. GANDHI DID
NOT RULE OUT THE POSSIBILITY OF A COALITION GOVERNMENT.
PREVIOUSLY SHE HAS SAID THE CONGRESS PARTY WOULD ONLY FORM A
GOVERNMENT ON ITS OWN.
EARLIER ON FRIDAY, SONIA GANDHI'S EFFORTS TO FORM A GOVERNMENT
WERE DEALT A SERIOUS BLOW WHEN ONE OF HER ALLIES, MULAYAM SINGH
YADAV, THE LEADER OF THE SOCIALIST PARTY, SAID HE WOULD NOT
SUPPORT THE CONGRESS PARTY BECAUSE THE PARTY HAD NOT WORKED HARD
ENOUGH FOR INDIA'S LOWER CASTES AND MINORITIES.
MEANWHILE MEMBERS OF PRIME MINISTER VAJPAYEE'S BHARATIYA JANATA
PARTY SAY THEY ARE STILL THE LARGEST PARTY IN PARLIAMENT AND
SHOULD BE GIVEN ANOTHER CHANCE TO FORM A GOVERNMENT. YASHWANT
SINHA, INDIA'S FINANCE MINISTER, SAYS HE HOPES PRESIDENT
NARAYANAN WILL ACCEPT THE B-J-P'S ARGUMENT.
// INSERT SINHA ACTUALITY //
I THINK OUR STRATEGY IS TO PROVE TO THE PRESIDENT AND
THE PEOPLE OF THIS COUNTRY THAT THIS COMBINATION IS THE
ONLY ONE WHICH CAN PROVIDE A STABLE GOVERNMENT TO THE
COUNTRY. THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE BEEN SAYING AND WE HOPE
THAT THE PRESIDENT WILL BE ABLE TO SEE OUR POINT OF
VIEW.
// END ACTUALITY //
INDIA'S PRESIDENT HAS BEEN MEETING WITH CONSTITUTIONAL EXPERTS TO
DETERMINE WHAT TO DO IF NO NEW GOVERNMENT CAN BE FORMED. WHILE
MANY POLITICIANS SAY THEY WANT TO AVOID NEW ELECTIONS, MANY ARE
ALSO SAYING ELECTIONS MAY BE THE ONLY WAY TO END THE CRISIS.
(SIGNED)
NEB/JLT/ENE/KL
23-Apr-99 12:50 PM EDT (1650 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
|
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
|
|
|
