Rejecting Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee's fresh appeal to reconsider its boycott of Parliament, the opposition National Democratic Alliance on Wednesday decided to continue its protests in both Houses for the rest of the Budget session.
The Budget session ends on May 13.
Chatterjee on Tuesday had written a letter to NDA chairman and former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee urging him to end the protest.
Top leaders of the alliance met at Vajpayee's residence in the morning and decided to extend the boycott to the entire session.
"After considering the issue of boycott in detail, the NDA leaders have unanimously come to the conclusion that in view of the government's undemocratic and intemperate attitude towards the opposition and its complete disregard of all parliamentary norms and standards, the NDA has no alternative except to boycott the rest of the session until May 13," a statement read out by NDA convener George Fernandes at a joint press conference said.
Stating that the speaker's letter was discussed at the meeting, he said: "It was felt that since the opposition's grievances were against the government and the treasury benches, perhaps the Hon'ble Speaker should have written on this issue to the prime minister also".
Amidst reports of differences within the alliance, the BJP managed to take the Telugu Desam Party on board for the sixth day of boycott though its leader K Yerran Naidu did not attend the meeting.
Naidu said the decision to take part in the boycott will be taken at Thursday's Parliamentary party meeting. "We would discuss whether the boycott is correct or not," he added.
Asked about TDP, leader of opposition Lal Kishenchand Advani said the party had been extending cooperation though it was not part of the NDA.
"The decision to continue the boycott has been conveyed to the TDP leadership and it is for them to take a decision. Till now, the boycott has been unanimous and total," he said.
Earlier reports:
NDA divided over House boycott strategy
NDA to continue Parliament boycott
Parliament standoff: Speaker writes to Vajpayee
