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Lok Dal determined to vote against government

Indian National Lok dal today reiterated its commitment to dislodge the Vajpayee government and favoured a strong viable alternative government led by the Third Front.

INLD leader Om Prakash Chautala told reporters after a 15-minute meeting with AIADMK chief J Jayalalitha in New Delhi that his party would not support any government led by the Congress but favoured any combination led by the Third Front.

He, however, clearly ruled out the possibility of a mid-term polls in the country.

Asked what were the conditions he was imposing to support any alternative combination, Chautala said no precondition has been set up for supporting a new government at the Centre.

He congratulated Jayalalitha for withdrawing support to the Vajpayee government. He reminded her that his party was the first to extend support for the formation of the Vajpayee government last year. This time his party was the first to withdraw support.

Replying a question whether he would be again meeting BJP vice-president Madan Lal Khurana, Chautala did not give any specific reply, saying, ''I am free to meet anybody.''

Prior to his meeting with Jayalalitha, Chautala had reiterated that his party would support an opposition-sponsored no confidence motion and vote against the Vajpayee government in the Lok Sabha.

The INLD, which has four members in the Lok Sabha, would however oppose a Congress-led coalition government, he told reporters.

''My party has authorised me to take an appropriate decision,'' he, however, said.

He described as ''speculative'' and ''imaginary'' reports that he has offered conditional support to the BJP-led government.

UNI

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