Speaking to newspersons at a luncheon hosted by BJP spokesman VK Malhotra here, the Prime Minister, however, reiterated that there was no justification on the part of the Opposition to demand resignation of his ministerial colleagues , Mr LK Advani, Mr Murli Manohar Joshi and Ms Uma Bharti.

The Congress, on the other hand, ruled out any compromise till the three charge-sheeted ministers were removed from the Union Cabinet. The party reiterated its position at its daily briefing on Saturday.

When asked under what rule the government was prepared for a discussion on the issue, the Prime Minister said: "The rule under which the discussion is to take place is not decided beforehand, or by the government. It is up to the Speaker to decide".

The Prime Minister also had no hesitation in calling a meeting of the National Democratic Alliance.(NDA) "It is for the convenor of the NDA to decide about the meeting", he said, adding that he had no knowledge of any demand on the part of some allies for an NDA meeting on Ayodhya. In any case, he said the government was considering convening a meeting of the NDA.

Meanwhile, another NDA ally, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), joined in attacking the Prime Minister's statement on Ayodhya.

DMK President and Tamil Nadu chief minister M Karunanidhi said in a statement in Chennai on Saturday that there should be a consensus on common issues among the constituents of NDA and thrusting a different point of view was not acceptable. Trinamool Congress, TDP and the Indian National Lok Dal have already demanded that Mr Vajpayee make a statement conveying the NDA commitment to secularism.

Without referring to Mr Vajpayee or the BJP, Mr Karunanidhi said no issue other than that contained in the NDA agenda was acceptable to his party.

He reiterated DMK's assurance to minorities that it would serve as their protector and affectionate friend. Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav has, meanwhile, vowed to fight the communalism of the BJP and said the opposition would not allow the Parliament to function unless the Prime Minister apologised for his Ayodhya statement.