The Congress will withdraw support to the United Front government in September on a major economic issue, according to BJP general secretary M Venkaiah Naidu.
He did not attach much importance to the DMKs decision to withdraw from the government. However, he held that if the DMK carried its decision to a logical conclusion, it would accelerate the process of the Fronts disintegration.
The country was heading for a realignment of political forces and a fresh bid by Congress president Sitaram Kesri for prime ministership, he said.
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If the Congress failed to get the requisite support to form a government, Kesri would prefer to have a mid-term Lok Sabha poll than prop up another Front government.
Bihar Chief Minister Laloo Prasad Yadavs Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Union defence minister Mulayam Singh Yadavs Samajwadi Party, GK Moopanars Tamil Maanila Congress and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Karunanidhis DMK would become members of the Congress-led alliance group, he felt.
However, the Left parties and the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) led by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu would find it difficult to go with the Congress.
The showdown would come after the partys plenary in Calcutta in August, where the Congress would formulate its electoral strategy, he said and added that Kesri would first try to blackmail Gujral into relinquishing office in his favour on the argument that now it is the Congress turn to rule.
If the United Front failed to respond, the Congress would confront the government on populist issues like the petroleum price hike, and inflation. This would be followed by withdrawal, Naidu said.
He said the BJPs attitude towards some UF constituents would depend on their changing their outlook towards the party. Until such a time, the BJP will watch the situation and prepare for a mid-term poll, he said.