The BJP and the Congress on Wednesday engaged in a slugfest after indications started coming that the ordinance on convicted legislators will be withdrawn. If the main Opposition gave credit to itself saying it was due to its pressure and not Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi’s stand on the issue that the government was considering withdrawing the ordinance, the ruling party accused the BJP of changing tunes.
“It is the BJP’s pressure which has won and it is the opinion of the people of this country which has won. It is not Rahul Gandhi’s decision because Rahul Gandhi’s opinion is what was Congress opinion... So it is not the initiative of Rahul Gandhi. It is the opinion of the Supreme Court, the people and the pressure exerted by the Opposition which has won,” BJP spokesperson Meenakshi Lekhi said.
But parliamentary affairs minister and senior Congress leader Kamal Nath countered the BJP’s claim, saying the BJP was on board when the decision was taken to address the issue of Section 8(4) of the Representation of the People Act that was struck down by the Supreme Court, which enabled a three-month breather to legislators to appeal for a stay against the conviction.
“BJP repositions themselves. They will posture, they will pose, they will do something in the meeting, something in the public and something else privately. That’s an old style of functioning of the BJP,” Mr Nath said. The minister said that two all-party meetings were held on August 1 and on August 13 and sought to give an impression that the decision to bring the ordinance was not the decision of Congress but also of all other parties.
“BJP was of clear view that 8(4)should be dealt with and should be addressed, and they were supporting that we should bring an amendment including a Constitutional amendment, “ he said adding that the issue was discussed in the business advisory committee of the Rajya Sabha where the BJP and all parties agreed that it should be listed and so it was introduced in the Upper House. “Ever since Rahul Gandhi said that this must be reviewed, the BJP has taken a different line altogether. That is unfortunate part of it. This is very old style of functioning of BJP,” he said — say one thing at one place and say another at another,” he said.
However, Ms Lekhi accused Mr Nath of engaging in “doublespeak”.
“The BJP was not in favour of constitutional amendment to protect the tainted MPs, MLAs,” Ms Lekhi said.