BJP hints at boycotting Budget presentation

The National Democratic Alliance will boycott the budget presentation by Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav in the Lok Sabha even as it resolved to continue its campaign against 'tainted' ministers and convened a meeting of its MPs in Delhi to discuss the alliance's strategy for the general budget and subsequent discussions.

"So far, the decision is to boycott, but if there is a change we will let you know," BJP Parliamentary Party spokesman V K Malhotra told reporters in Delhi when asked about the possibility of the alliance reviewing its earlier decision to boycott the budget presentation by the railway minister.

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Earlier in the day, a meeting of NDA leaders convened by Leader of Opposition Lal Kishenchand Advani decided to call a meeting of all party MPs on Tuesday morning ahead of the presentation of the Railway Budget to finalise the NDA's strategy for the general budget and the discussions on the two budgets.

The NDA leaders decided not to allow transaction of any business in Parliament till the 'tainted' ministers are dropped.

Malhotra took exception to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's reported statement that the 'tainted' ministers were innocent till convicted by the Supreme Court, describing it as 'fatal for democracy and setting a wrong precedent'.