EC should clarify if UNPA's abstention decision is in order : NDA

New Delhi, July 14 (UNI) Dubbing the United National Progressive Allliance decision to abstain from voting as a decision having ''no legal sanctity'', the BJP today asked the Election Commission to clarify if any political party can give such a direction to its MPs and MLAs in Presidential and Vice Presidential elections.

Mrs Sushma Swaraj, spokesperson for the NDA and Mr Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, told newspersons that the EC should clarify if any political party can give such a diktat to its MPs to abstain from voting and ensure that the MPs did not suffer for exercising their democratic right.

She said the decision would not affect the campaign style of Vice President who was seeking the support of each individual MP and MLA in all states through letters and on telephone. He will continue to do that with the MPs and MLAs of the UNPA also, she added.

The decision of the UNPA tantamounted issual of whip which was not permissible in these two elections, she said and said that the NDA had attempted to reason with the UNPA that their decision to abstain would not help achieve their goal of defeating Pratibha Patil, the Congress-UPA nominee, who was dubbed by former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa as ''joke on the nation''. ''There is still time for the UNPA to retrace their step,'' she said adding that casting a vote is not just a right of an individual but also responsibility in a democracy.

Asked if the NDA would be fielding its own candidate for vice president after this development, Mrs Swaraj said the NDA leaders will decide the matter on July 19.

To a question if the NDA would make a complaint before the EC, she said there was no need for any complaint. The EC could take note of the developments and issue a clarification. It would be perfectly in order if an individual decides to vote or abstain but a political party or an alliance can't do it, she contended.

UNI