Armed with the Wikileaks expose about the 2008 trust vote, the Opposition on Thursday closed ranks in demanding the immediate resignation of the government, contending that it has lost moral right to continue as the country's democracy has been "maligned".
NDA and Left along with other Opposition parties like Samajwadi Party, TDP and JD(S), which disrupted Parliament over the issue, launched a frontal attack on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh over the charge that MPs were bought to save the UPA-I government.
"We would like the Prime Minister to come to the House and announce that he has decided to resign in the light of new revelations," NDA's Working Chairman L K Advani said addressing a press conference along with leaders of allies.
The senior BJP leader ruled out moving a no-confidence motion against the government although he felt "the people are no longer with this government."
Asked whether the NDA would be satisfied if the Prime Minister is changed, Advani replied in the negative.
Describing the allegedly "buying" of MPs during the 2008 confidence vote as the "biggest scandal" in Independent India, he said the Wikileaks had confirmed "our suspicions" about the 'cash-for-vote' scam.
Noting that India had earned respect across the world mainly because of its "sound democracy", Advani said the country's "democracy has been maligned" by this incident.
He gave enough signals that the BJP-led alliance would not allow normal functioning of Parliament till its demand is met as he said that allies will meet every day to decide the course of action.
"We will be failing in our duty if we do not affirm that this government has lost the moral authority to continue even for a single moment," he said in presence of NDA convenor and JD(U) chief Sharad Yadav, Shiv Sena Anant Geete and Akali Dal's Rattan Singh Ajnala.
Addressing a separate press conference along with leaders of CPI, SP, TDP, TRS, CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury dubbed the alleged acts of buying votes as "gross moral de-generation and crass political opportunism" which has undermined Indian democracy.
"It is a humongous indictment of the Congress and the UPA government," he said, adding, "The Prime Minister must come and explain. Today was his day in the Rajya Sabha and he was not present."
Demanding a probe into the matter by the CBI, he wanted to know why investigation in the cash-for-votes scam did not continue. "Was it because it would have embarrassed the government and the principal opposition."
The CPI(M) leader was addressing the press along with Gurudas Dasgupta and D Raja (CPI), former Prime Minister H D Devegowda (JDS), Nama Nageshwara Rao (TDP) and Shailendra Kumar (SP).
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