'No Pak in Obama's speech': BJP remains silent

The Bharatiya Janata Party top brass met on Sunday to discuss the ongoing visit of United States President Barack Obama but did not come out with any statement on his remarks about tackling terror.

"Since guest is like god, we will not come out with a statement till Obama is in India," a senior party leader said.

Contrary to expectations that it would calibrate the remarks of one of its spokespersons, Rajiv Pratap Rudy, expressing disappointment over Obama making no reference to Pakistan in his first speech at Mumbai on Saturday, the BJP chose to remain silent.

Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj, her counterpart in the Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley, senior leaders Jaswant Singh, Yashwant Sinha and M M Joshi were among the prominent persons who met at the residence of BJP Parliamentary Party Chairman L K Advani.

In the two-hour meeting, the party leaders firmed up BJP's stand when Swaraj calls on the US President in New Delhi on Monday.

Sources said Swaraj is likely to raise the issue of terrorism emanating from Pakistan, the US' 'protectionist' attitude towards India and other Third World countries, concerns over outsourcing and difficulties being faced by Indian techies in getting US visas.

On Saturday, Rudy had expressed "complete disappointment" over Obama making no mention of Pakistan while speaking at the Taj hotel in Mumbai, one of the main targets of the terrorists on November 26, 2008.

"The Prime Minister and the Indian diplomats will have to answer a lot to the people of India as it seems that New Delhi is providing a political bail out to Obama following a poor show by the Democrats in the recently held elections in US," Rudy said.

A BJP leader said, "We will only come out with BJP's stand after Obama departs from India...he is expected to make statements in Delhi and only after analysing his visit, we will come out with a response".

While Advani and Jaitley have been invited to the dinner hosted by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at his official residence, Swaraj would attend the banquet at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Monday.

BJP president Nitin Gadkari, his predecessor Rajnath Singh and senior leader M Venkaiah Naidu did not attend the meeting though the party had officially said that they would be part of the deliberations.

BJP Deputy Leader in the Rajya Sabha S S Ahluwalia and general secretary Ananth Kumar also attended the meeting.