Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on Wednesday said in the Lok Sabha that he had expressed his wish to resign on Tuesday but was persuaded by BJP and NDA leaders not to do so.
It is a fact that on Tuesday at the BJP parliamentary party meeting, I had expressed a desire to tender my resignation. The party did not accept my offer, He said while responding to a vociferous opposition which demanded that he take the House into confidence to explain the circumstances that forced him to take such a step. Vajpayee said the NDA, which met on Wednesday morning, has also asked him to continue as Prime Minister and expressed full faith in him.
In a reflective mood, Vajpayee said Barsat ka mausam hai. Badal to ghirengi hi. Lekin badal chhatengi bhi. Yeh baki hai abhi (The monsoon season is on. Clouds are bound to be there. But these do disappear. This is still to happen).
The Prime Minister regretted that his remarks on Tuesday had caused inconvenience to the speaker and to the House. Vajpayee said he had no intention of showing any disrespect to the House. The House would accept that an expression of desire is not an issue which has to be brought before the House instantly, he said.
Raising the issue, deputy leader of Congress Madhavrao Scindia said Prime Minister's remarks on Tuesday had created doubts about the existence of the government.
Vajpayee's remarks that he was incapable of running the NDA coalition in a coherent and disciplined manner should be clarified in the House, he said. He was also critical of Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pramod Mahajan making public Prime Minister's remarks outside Parliament.
The Prime Minister should take the House and people into confidence and clarify all doubts, he stressed.
Bureau Report