Saturday, November 5 2005 09:18 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Mounting further pressure, BJP yesterday (Nov 04, 2005) decided NDA leaders would meet President A P J Abdul Kalam next week to urge him to advise Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to drop External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh, named in Volcker committee report on Iraqi oil pay-offs, from cabinet and announced countrywide protests to press the demand.

A meeting of senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders chaired by party President L K Advani took the decision to seek an appointment with the President for Monday, BJP spokesman Sushma Swaraj told reporters here.

The BJP will also organise protest demonstrations, sit-ins and rallies in all state capitals from November eight to November 15, demanding Natwar Singh's resignation for being alleged non-contractual beneficiary in the United Nation's Oil-for-food programme for Iraq, she said.

At their hour-long meeting, the BJP leaders expressed surprise that the Prime Minister sought to give a clean chit to Singh despite being indicted in a report of the United Nations on which the entire world has faith.

"Following pressure, the PMO hinted at a probe but nothing can be achieved so long as he (Natwar Singh) continues to remain in office," Swaraj said.