UPA govt has lost mandate to rule: BJP

Accusing the United Progressive Alliance of being in power at the Centre only by 'manipulating smaller parties', the Bharatiya Janata Party on Sunday said, the Manmohan Singh's government has completely exhausted its mandate to rule the nation.

"The prime minister should start introspecting whether UPA's mandate has been completely exhausted. We believe, it has been," Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Arun Jaitley told reporters in Goa on Sunday.

Jaitely alleged that the UPA was also manipulating the investigating agencies.

"They have been misusing the investigating agencies. The UPA will be in power as far as they manage to manipulate the smaller parties," the senior BJP leader said.

On the coal block scam, he said the leadership and credibility of UPA has been 'completely eroded'. "There is a complete policy paralysis which has resulted in total inability to govern or give directions to the country," Jaitley added.

Responding to a question, the BJP leader said the party's act of not allowing the Parliament to function was 'democratic means to seek justice'.

"I agree that the time of Parliament is wasted. But debates can happen even outside the Parliament," he said, adding that "in past, the party's action of not allowing the Parliament to function resulted in inquiry in 2G scam and cleansing of telecom sector".

"By not allowing the Parliament, we are now aiming to cleanse the coal sector," he added.