'My candidature is a continuous struggle against BJP': Sinha

CHENNAI: Yashwant Sinha, the Opposition nominee for the next month's Presidential election, on Thursday alleged that any government which believes in the Constitution and secularism and does not believe in Hindutva is not safe in this country.

Addressing a meeting of DMK and its allies which extended support to him, Sinha said they (BJP) have found a scapegoat to occupy the 'exalted chair' of the Chief Minister of Maharashtra. Sinha said, ''But what does this show? This shows that this ruling party at the Centre and the government of India have absolutely no respect for the federal structure of our Constitution.'' They are violating one convention after convention of the Constitution, he alleged. ''I was listening to the speech of the leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party in Maharashtra and he was constantly talking of Hindutva and he was saying that we brought down this government because it did not believe in Hindutva. Which means that any government which believes in the Constitution, which does not believe in Hindutva but believes in secularism is not safe in this country,'' he said.

''Me agreeing to contest the Presidential election is 'a continuous struggle' against the alleged excesses of the Central government and the BJP that runs it. Until 2014, I was heading the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance,'' Sinha said and added that it was in sync with the tradition that a person from the Opposition should be helming it. ''Now, a ruling party member heads that committee. It is another matter that he happens to be my son (Jayant Sinha). But I have no hesitation in saying that this is a wrong practice,'' he said.

Sinha assured that he would strictly uphold the Constitution and its provisions if elected to the office of the President. On his arrival at the DMK headquarters 'Anna Arivalayam', Sinha was welcomed and taken into the party office by Stalin and he presided over a meet of his party and its allies which extended their support to the former Union Minister.

While Stalin hailed Sinha as a 'man of eminence', MDMK chief and Rajya Sabha member Vaiko said, 'We all are with you'. Leaders of DMK's alliance parties, including the Congress party's (legislature party leader) K Selvaperunthagai, spoke assuring whole-hearted support to Sinha.

Representatives of the Left parties and Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi also promised support to Sinha.