Friday, March 11 2005 19:07 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Accusing the Centre and the Jharkhand Speaker of avoiding a trial of strength in the Assembly, the Opposition NDA (National Democratic Alliance) today (March 11, 2005) decided to move the President and the Supreme Court on the issue and to consider a No-Confidence Motion against Lok Sabha Speaker in the backdrop of his demand for a Presidential Reference on the issue.

Dubbing developments in the Jharkhand Assembly as a "UPA (United Progressive Alliance) conspiracy" involving the Centre, the Governor and the Pro-tem Speaker, the NDA, at an emergency meeting, felt that Chatterjee's suggestion for a Presidential Reference was "aimed at stalling the proceedings in the Assembly".

The NDA leaders also decided to convene a "full meeting" of the Opposition alliance on Monday (March 14, 2005) to consider, among other things, bringing a "No Confidence Motion" against him, BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) Parliamentary Party spokesman V K Malhotra told reporters in New Delhi.

Emerging from the 45-minute meeting, BJP General Secretary Arun Jaitley demanded that Jharkhand Governor Syed Sibtey Razi immediately "revoke his pleasure", dismiss the Shibu Soren Government and appoint NDA's Arjun Munda as Chief Minister as "Soren was unable to win the confidence vote within the given time".

An NDA delegation will also shortly seek an appointment with President A P J Abdul Kalam to apprise him of the developments, he said.

JD-U (Janata Dal-United) leader Nitish Kumar said, "Today's adjournment was just a drama since the Soren Government did not have the majority in the Assembly".

Malhotra said many of the allies demanded that a No Confidence Motion be moved against the Lok Sabha Speaker and it was decided to hold a "full meeting" of all leaders of the alliance on Monday to consider the issue.

"When the UPA Government has no plans to make a Presidential Reference, the entire exercise of the Speaker in making such a suggestion on the eve of the Confidence Vote in Jharkhand was aimed at ensuring that the proceedings in the Assembly were stalled. The Assembly Speaker, too, was repeatedly referring to Chatterjee's statement", he said.