There is no question of the Congress withdrawing support to the United Front government at the Centre, they indicate, but Kesari is determined to change the relationship between his party and the ruling front to a more antagonistic one.
A strongly critical statement yesterday on Indias loss of the election for a United Nations security council seat was a signal of what lies ahead. A critical resolution from the CWC could set the stage for an acrimonious winter session of Parliament, likely from the last week of November.
Distressed by the lack of response among UF leaders to his repeated pleas for their support to make Mayawati the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, Kesari would even like to bring down the front government, an AICC general secretary indicated.
However, PV Narasimha Rao, who remains the leader of the Congress Party in Parliament and has majority support in the Congress Working Committee, appears to be determined not to allow that.
The fact that Pranab Mukherjee, who party circles see as still close to Rao, signed the statement on the UN fiasco indicates that Rao is willing to go along with criticism of Gowdas government, as long as criticism does not stretch to withdrawal of support.
Senior CWC member Sharad Pawar represents a third view within the party, that it should join the government in coalition with the United Front. For the moment, though, senior office bearers say this section is not in a position to determine party policy.