He told a Congress leader who visited him in the morning that Kesari went and handed in an application in Deve Gowdas durbar. Is this any way to do politics? Ram clearly wanted Kesari to threaten Gowda with withdrawal of support to his government.
Ram evidently does not appreciate the delicate power balance in the Congress. Kesaris supporters had hoped that his role in getting Mayawati installed in Lucknow would boost his prestige and authority within the party and on the national stage, but they evidently did not calculate on a possible failure.
At least until he consolidates his control on the party, Kesari cannot decide by himself on withdrawal of support. The decision would have to be taken by the Congress Working Committee (CWC) and executed by the leader of the Congress Party in Parliament. PV Narasimha Rao retains that job.
Gowda and other UF leaders seem to have read the power balance within the Congress differently. A political lobbyist close to Gowda stated flatly yesterday that there was no question of the Congress withdrawing support to Gowdas government as long as Rao remains the leader of the CPP.
Gowdas attitude during the negotiations over the past five days suggest that he shares that confidence. He is said to have told a visitor on Sunday that he would be quite happy if a BJP-BSP alliance took power in UP. That would separate the BSP from the Congress, Mulayam Singh Yadav would remain in check, and the arrangement was bound to be shortlived.
Gowda has apparently become totally set against any support to Mayawati after Kanshi Ram told reporters that Gowdas dhoti would come open and he would come running from even London if Kesari threatened to withdraw support at the centre.
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Given his confidence that Rao would not allow his government to be destablised, Gowda joined the hardliners in his front on the question of supporting Mayawati. He indicated his view of whos who in the Congress by driving straight to Raos residence for talks when he returned on Monday night. Kesari is said to have been waiting to see him.
Gowda made up for that by going to Kesaris residence for talks yesterday. The two then drove together to Gowdas residence for the UF steering committee meeting. However, Kesaris decision to go there had already signalled his acknowledgement that he could not call the shots.
No wonder Ram is upset. He will now have to make up his mind over the next few days about whether he wants to continue his alliance with the Congress. From his tone yesterday, some Congress leaders got the impression that it was only a matter of time.