The BJP holds that a split in the Janata Dal (JD) will lead to a new political formation, in which the Congress will be the nucleus, surrounded by friendly parties like that of Union defence minister Mulayam Singh Yadav, Bihar Chief Minister Laloo Prasad Yadav and the Tamil Maanila Congress (TMC), if it does not merge with the parent party.
The Congress is silently working on bringing about this formation with the aim of forming a Congress-led coalition government at the Centre after the next Lok Sabha elections, party spokesperson Yashwant Sinha told newsmen yesterday.
Although the United Front is an anti-Congress, anti-BJP platform, there are many UF partners that are not opposed to the Congress. The only ones who could be counted to keep opposing the Congress are the Left parties, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the Telugu Desam Party.
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The moment this new coalition arrangement materialises, the Congress may withdraw support from the IK Gujral government, in order to force a mid-term poll, he said. However, the possibility of Congress president Sitaram Kesri staking claim to form a Congress-led government in this Lok Sabha was completely ruled out, he added.
Kesri would like to face the election after forming a pre-poll front with a clear understanding that Mulayam would have his say in Uttar Pradeshs politics, Laloo Yadav in Bihar, and TMC leader GK Moopanar in Tamil Nadu, Sinha held. After all the Congress had such an understanding with the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) in Tamil Nadu, he pointed out.
Gujral would not mind the Congress withdrawing support for his government as he has already got his name written in the history. Gujral will not even be angry if the Congress withdraws, Sinha said.
This is one reason that Gujral has not been perturbed by the prospects of the Dals split, he said, alleging that the Prime Minister has a secret understanding with Laloo Yadav that I will not disturb you in state, you dont disturb me at the Centre.
The Congress is also likely to come to Yadavs rescue if Laloo loses majority in his own party due to a split, Sinha opined. Congress has 29 MLAs in the state.
The party has not criticised Yadav yet, he pointed out and said that Kesris softness towards him is a part of the Congress strategy.
The Congress did not criticise the transfer of CBI director Joginder Singh as it was going to benefit from this. The transfer would let off Laloo and others, including those involved in the Bofors scandal, he alleged. This would ease pressure on Sonia Gandhi and Kesri would try to rope her in for the election campaign, he said.
At the next elections, the Congress will try to get the status of the single largest party or group so that it can be invited to form a government. The Left and other parties which strongly oppose the Congress, however, would not support it, he said.