Wednesday, April 27 2005 14:00 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Justifying its decision to boycott Parliament for three days beginning today (Apr 27, 2005), the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) today accused Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of "practising the worst kind of political opportunism" in retaining "tainted" Ministers, particularly Laloo Prasad, and demanded that the Government treat it as an opponent and not "enemy".

Addressing a joint press conference in New Delhi, top NDA leaders, including its convenor George Fernandes and leader of Opposition L K Advani, also announced that the alliance would meet on Monday (May 2, 2005) morning to review the situation.

Recalling its campaign against "tainted" Ministers after the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government assumed office, a statement read out by Fernandes said while Jharkhand Mukthi Morcha (JMM) leader Shibu Soren's resignation was secured, as the coalition was not critically dependent on it, "The Prime Minister has obdurately stonewalled all pleas for dismissal" of Laloo Prasad and his four other party colleagues.

This, it said, was "only and only because his (Manmohan Singh's) Government is "critically dependent on the support of the RJD".

"The Prime Minister is guilty of practising the worst kind of political opportunism in retaining these Ministers, rushing aside all moral principles, scruples and democratic propriety," Fernandes alleged.

He also alleged that Laloo has been allowed to "freely misuse his authority in Government and his political clout to subvert the legal and democratic process so that he can get off the hook".

Maintaining that Laloo's politics has been a "liability" for Bihar for 15 years, Advani cautioned the UPA Government that the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader's politics would be a "liability" for the coalition as well.

"The earlier you take the decision, the better it would be for your performance and governance," he said.

The NDA statement also accused the Government of adopting a "vindictive, confrontationist and hostile attitude" towards the Opposition alliance.

In this regard, it cited the removal of Governors appointed by the NDA Government, the manner in which Fernandes was "being targeted and maligned" and the way in which the second affidavit was filed in the Supreme Court "to contradict the truth" in the first affidavit on Kargil arms purchases as proofs of the "undemocratic and petty-minded approach" of the Government towards the main Opposition "reminiscent of the Emergency days".

"The privileges, rights and dignity of the Opposition have been consistently trampled upon by the ruling coalition. Parliamentary decency, norms and standards have been thrown to the winds. The Government's message is loud and clear - the Opposition is not needed," the statement said.