George `tricks' Hegde out of NDA meeting

George `tricks' Hegde out of NDA meeting
EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE

NEW DELHI, MARCH 14: Lok Shakti leader Ramakrishna Hegde was tricked out of the NDA meeting this afternoon, reportedly by George Fernandes' office, after he publicly demanded the Defence Minister's resignation on the Operation Westend revelations.

George Fernandes, who is also convener of the NDA, is said to have sent a letter to Hegde last night, inviting him to the meeting of coalition leaders at the Prime Minister's residence this afternoon. However, shortly before NDA leaders met today, Hegde's office allegedly got a call from Fernandes' office saying the meeting had been postponed and that a new time would be intimated. Hegde, who chose to stay home, was, of course, aghast to find the NDA meeting had gone ahead as scheduled.

``I do not know why I was kept out, the only thing I can think of is that between last night and this afternoon, I had gone public demanding Fernandes' resignation and the institution of a inquiry into the whole affair by a sitting judge of the Supreme Court,'' Hegde said.

Speaking to The Indian Express, Hegde said: ``I would have demanded Fernandes' resignation at the NDA meeting too because this is a matter of national interest and national security, but I was robbed of the opportunity in strange circumstances.''

Hegde is the second NDA leader after Railway Minister and Trinamool leader Mamata Banerjee to have openly demanded that Fernandes quit office in the interests of an impartial probe.

Hegde also felt that Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee should have accepted Fernandes' resignation if it had been offered at last night's Cabinet meeting. ``I very much doubt Fernandes offered to resign but what I am saying is that the Prime Minister's refusal to accept it if the offer had been made will cause irreparable damage to the image of the Prime Minister himself,'' Hegde said.