The United Front is likely to set up an informal group of four chief ministers to talk to various leaders and seek a consensus on who should be the Prime Minister.
West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah and Assam Chief Minister PK Mohanta are likely to comprise the group, which is likely to be set up today.
Although the Front was to take a decision on the leadership issue yesterday at a meeting of its steering committee, the meeting was postponed for today following the death of former Orissa Chief Minister and senior Janata Dal leader Biju Patnaik.
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Patnaiks death overshadowed all political events and informal intra-UF parleys replaced formal meetings. Front covenor N Chandrababu Naidu met almost all UF leaders, including CPI(M) general secretary HS Surjeet, CPI general secretary AB Bardhan, Karunanidhi, Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, Janata Dal leaders Sharad Yadav and Ram Vilas Paswan.
UF leaders, particularly from the Left, impressed upon the need to ask the Congress to withdraw its letter to President staking claim to form a government. Following informal parleys, Naidu formally wrote to Congress president Sitaram Kesri, asking him to withdraw the letter.
Through these meetings efforts were made to arrive at a consensus on the leadership issue. Several UF leaders also visited Apollo Hospital to call on former Prime Minister VP Singh.
Naidu wrote that, since the UF was in the process electing a new leader it was high time the Congress withdrew its letter to the President. However, Naidu refused to comment when asked what if Kesri did not withdraw the letter, saying the matter was very delicate and he did not want to create confusion.
However, the Congress refused to oblige to Naidus request, saying unless the UF elected a new leader the letter would not be withdrewn. Congress leaders met twice in the day and discussed the current political situation. Party general secretary Ghulam Nabi Azad told newsmen that the UF should not insist on withdrawal of the letter, as it was just a question of formality. Left leaders also hinted that they would not insist of withdrawal of letter any more and hoped that a new leader would be elected through consensus today. With the Left parties softening their stand, decks are cleared for election of a new leader today at the steering committee meeting.
Some UF leaders hoped that withdrawal of the letter and a letter staking claim to form a government on behalf of the UF would take place together.
Almost all UF leaders, including those from the Left parties, said that only through a consensus that a new leader would be elected. Moopnar parried the question on he being elected as the leader, saying it was upto the steering committee to decide.
Left leaders continued to avoid this question, there was enough confusion to be sorted out and the Left would speak about their choice only at the steering committee.
President for Cong joining govt
David Devadas NEW DELHI
President SD Sharma has indicated to some of his visitors in the last couple of days that he would like to see the Congress participate in the new government that is formed, so that it may be more stable than the last one.
The President has sought assurances from Congress leaders that the party will not once again bring down the government, as it did Gowdas.
Some of Congress president Sitaram Kesris managers are worried about this sort of pressure to participate in the government. It does not suit Kesri personally, since he could not become a minister under a United Front Pime Minister.
Kesri wants to keep his party out of the government if he cannot be the Prime Minister. Another Congress leader could probably become deputy Prime minister under a UF Prime Minister and emerge as a rival power centre within the party, his lieutenants say. The most likely candidate to become deputy Prime Minister is Sharad Pawar, the Congress Lok Sabha floor leader. Among other Congress leaders who hope to emerge in that role are Manmohan Singh, K Karunakaran and Pranab Mukherjee.
Although the Left parties are likely to keep away from a government in which the Congress participates, Conress leaders point out that the rest of the UF and the Congress would have the requisite number between them.
If the TDP and the AGP too stay out, they say the shortfall could be made up by including small groups from the north-east and Kerala.