BJP in favour of polls in case of defeat of confidence vote

New Delhi, Jul 20 (UNI) On the eve of crucial two-day Lok Sabha session, the BJP today exuded confidence that the Opposition would have enough numbers to defeat the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh-sponsored motion and said it would want an election after what it claimed an ''imminent fall'' of the UPA government.

Emerging after a meeting of the BJP Parliamentary Party presided over by Leader of the Opposition L K Advani, BJP Deputy Leader in the Lok Sabha Vijay Kumar Malhotra said the fall of the UPA government after the voting was almost certain and once that happened, the party would want to take the issue before people, the ultimate masters in democracy.

''There is no other way out,'' he said, scotching all rumours that the BJP may lend outside support to the UNPA government at the Centre till the next general elections.

Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and senior BJP MP Kalyan Singh said the situation in his home state was 'uncertain'. The BJP wants the fall of UPA government but it will only be possible with the coming together of all NDA constituents.

Mr Malhotra alleged that all efforts were made by the UPA to secure the support of MPs offering allurements. Some of the jailed MPs were also released in return for their support, he alleged.

Addressing the MPs' meeting, Mr Advani said the government should have resigned on the day it was reduced to a 'minority' following the withdrawal of support from the Left parties. The way the UPA coalition had been running for the last four years was in contrast to the NDA coalition led by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, he recalled.

Mr Advani also clarified to the MPs that the BJP's opposition to the Indo-US nuclear deal was not because it was happening with the United States but it had compromised national security, national honour and autonomy. The country will never be able to conduct Pokhran III if the deal was to be signed. Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Jaswant Singh and former minister Arun Shourie explained how the accord would go against India and its interests, Mr Malhotra said.

The Shiv Sena MPs, too, attended the meeting and their leader Anant Geete addressed the meeting.

Meanwhile, the BJP has exempted five of ailing MPs, including former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Dharmendra, Harischarnda Chauhan, Mahesh Kanoria and Mr Srikantappa, from attending the Lok Sabha discussion and they could directly come and take part in the voting.

The party is also in touch with two of its suspended MPs from Gujarat, Somabhai Patel and Babubhai Katara. Mr Patel was suspended for anti-party activities in the Assembly polls, while Mr Katara was suspended after his name figured in the illegal emigration scandal.

The party seems to have given up hopes of changing the mind of its MP from Gonda in Uttar Pradesh Brij Bhushan Saran who announced his defection to Samajwadi Party this evening.

After the BJP Parliamentary Party, Mr Advani hosted a dinner meeting for the NDA MPs.

UNI MCN BDP RN2051