Sunday, March 13 2005 11:15 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Mangalore: Opposition BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) leader in the Lok Sabha L K Advani who had described Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as "invisible', today (Mar 13, 2005) said he saw "some glimpses of him" in the latest episode in Jharkhand which saw installation of the NDA (National Democratic Alliance) Government.

"I can say that I saw some glimpses of him in this latest episode in Jharkhand," Advani told reporters at the Bajpe airport on his arrival in Mangalore to attend the RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh)' Akhil Bharat Pratinidhi Sabha, its highest policy making body which concludes its three-day conclave in Mangalore.

Advani was asked whether he felt the Prime Minister had become "visible" in Jharkhand-related developments which saw installation of the Arjun Munda Ministry following the exit of the UPA (United Progressive Alliance) Government led by Shibu Soren which assumed office under highly controversial circumstances created over the Governor's action.

During the debate on the motion of thanks to the President for his address to Parliament, Advani had a dig at Singh calling him "invisible" and saying that the authority of the Prime Minister's office was not being felt.

Singh had rejected Advani's description saying he should be judged by the performance of the UPA Government and "it is not a question of being visible or not".

Replying to a query on the Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee's action in the wake of his suggestion for a Presidential reference on the Supreme Court directive on Jharkhand, Advani said "it is not correct to create a controversy between the judiciary and executive and take it forward".

"Now that efforts have been made to correct old mistakes and the alliance which got the mandate has formed the Government, controversy on the Speaker should not be continued and taken forward".

BJP-led NDA yesterday gave up its plans for a no-confidence motion against Chatterjee in the light of his suggestion on Presidential reference.

Advani also flayed the Congress for making the platinum jubilee celebrations of Mahatma Gandhi's "Dandi March", a "party affair", saying it was "partisanship which is unbecoming of the event of this dimension".

Noting that the Dandi March was a historical event and "in a way in modern times, it is a precedent of all yatras undertaken by political leaders", Advani said the celebrations should have been organised by the Government on a national level involving all sections of people in it. "It should not have been made a party affair, a party affair in which even the State Government (of Gujarat) is not involved, in which even the Prime Minister is not involved. This is partisanship which is unbecoming of the event of this dimension".