Yashwant, 2 other BJP MPs offer to quit

New Delhi, Aug 24 (PTI) Accusing the party of not taking
up seriously enough the issue of corruption, three BJP
leaders including Yashwant Sinha on Wednesday offered to quit
as Members of Indian Parliament.
Besides Yashwant Sinha, Shatrughan Sinha and Uday Singh,
MPs from Patnsaheb and Purnea respectively, sprung a surprise
at the BJP Parliamentary Party meeting here to discuss the
strategy for the ongoing session as also the all party meeting
on the Lokpal issue convened Wednesday.
Yashwant Sinha said that the BJP had been unable to take
a strong stand on the Lokpal issue which was necessary to
"take the battle forward" against corruption.
The former Finance Minister and Hazaribagh MP made
the surprise move at the meeting chaired by L K Advani here,
which expressed concern over the health of Anna Hazare and
made an appeal to the Gandhian to end his fast.
Shatrughan Sinha said the BJP, instead of taking a clear
cut stand, had been paying "lip service" on the Hazare issue
and using the Congress as a punching bag.
Senior BJP leader S S Ahluwalia, however, sought to
downplay questions about Yashwant's offer to resign saying
different voices are heard in such meetings and it is the
final resolution that actually matters.
The three MPs have voiced their dissent on the BJP stand
on various issues from time to time within the party fora.
Shatrughan Sinha has also backed senior BJP leader L K
Advani's demand for resignation of Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh, remarks that had not found many takers within the
party.
Ahluwalia said the Parliametnary Party meeting resolved
for enactment of a "strong and effective" Lokpal Bill and
urged Hazare to end his fast.
"BJP is with the movement against corruption by Anna
Hazare. The party is concerned with the failing health of
Anna Hazare and requests him to end his fast as he has to
continue to work for the country even in future," he said.
"BJP appeals to Anna to end his fast and he can carry on
his agitation after that if he wants to do so. We are with him
in this fight," Ahlulwalia told reporters after the meeting.
He refused a direct reply when asked whether BJP supports
all the provisions of the Jan Lokpal Bill of Team Anna.
"BJP opposes the Government's bill on Lokpal. We demand a
strong effective bill," was his refrain to such questions.