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The Vajpayee Government allies, like the Telugu Desam Party and Trinamul Congress Tuesday asserted that they would not be swayed by allegations of bribe-taking against Bharatiya Janata Party chief Bangaru Laxman and his Samata Party counterpart Jaya Jaitley, in a reported defence transaction.
"Laxman has said that the allegation against him of bribe-taking is a conspiracy (by the Opposition) against him. Our party will give him a patient hearing. We will not be taken in by moves to topple the National Democratic Alliance Government, which we support," TDP parliamentary party leader Kinjarapu Yerran Naidu told rediff.com.
However, Naidu went into a prolonged teleconference with the party chief and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu soon after news spread about allegations [in the web site tehelka.com] against Laxman and Jaitley.
"No, no, there is nothing extraordinary about teleconferencing among TDP members. In this way, we are in constant touch with our party chief," the TDP parliamentary party leader clarified.
On Congress spokesman S Jaipal Reddy's contention that his party would not allow Parliament to function unless the government came forward with a statement on the bribe-taking allegation, Naidu pointed out that his party would "go through the case" and would only be in a position to comment after "scrutinising it minutely".
"If you think that the NDA Government will fall tonight over the allegations, you are mistaken. My party will examine the facts before making any comments. That's all I have to say at the moment," said Trinamul Lok Sabha leader Sudip Bandopadhyaya.
Jaitley, who allegedly accepted Rs 2 lakh in the purported defence deal, was not available for comment.
"Madam has gone out without indicating when she will return," said a party worker at Union Defence Minister George Fernandes' Krishna Menon Marg residence (which frequently doubles up as party office).
Congress leaders were jubilant that the government had been caught in a tight spot because of the "omissions and commissions" of NDA leaders.
"I think nemesis is catching up with this government, which appears too clever by half," quipped Reddy. "Of course, we will not sit quiet (read stall parliamentary proceedings) until and unless the government makes a satisfactory statement on this matter," he pointed out.
The (Opposition) shape of things to come over the bribe-taking allegation was reflected in the Lok Sabha, when during a discussion on the plight of farmers, Opposition members trooped into the well of the House and shouted anti-government slogans.
The deputy chairperson adjourned the House for the day.
In the Rajya Sabha, Congress member Dr Manmohan Singh, as leader of the Opposition, raised the matter, underscoring that it was very serious since it involved national security.
BJP leaders, including senior vice-president K Jana Krishnamurthy said that the party would examine the allegations before commenting.
The Samajwadi Party and Rashtriya Janata Dal claimed that the government had been trapped in a "chakravyuh" from which it was impossible to escape.
"Ab yeh bhrasht sarkar ki arthi uthegi, yeh ab bacch nahin sakta," asserted RJD Lok Sabha member Raghuvansh Prasad Singh. He was supported by three SP members.
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