The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) seems to have softened its stand on its demand for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s resignation in the alleged coal scam. The main opposition has indicated it will allow the House to function if the government deallocates all the 142 controversial coal blocks and sets up a judicial probe.
Senior leaders of the party decided to give up one of the demands because Congress President Sonia Gandhi had spoken to Sushma Swaraj to look for a possible compromise.
“The deadlock in Parliament on coal allocation has continued for over a week now. The NDA (National Democratic Alliance) has offered to resolve the deadlock if all allotments made are cancelled and the process whereby the screening panel has decided these allocations is subjected to ajudicial probe. The government is not yet prepared for this,” L K Advani, senior BJP leader, wrote on his latest blog.
The BJP leadership is also under pressure from its allies, Janata Dal (United) and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD). Both parties wanted Parliament to function and were willing for a discussion on the issue.
“The interpretation that BJP has given up the demand for the PM’s resignation is wrong. Wehave put these two conditions so that Parliament can function. Even in the debate, we will take the stand that the PM, as the then coal minister, should resign,” Swaraj told reporters.