After facing several embarrassments inside and outside parliament, leaders of the United Front leaders have decided to take steps to bring about a semblance of unity within the coalition. This would help the coalition to face elections as and when they are held.
To help forge such unity of purpose and action, key managers of the coalition propose to hold joint rallies in various states, frequent meetings of the United Front steering committee as well as of the parliamentary party. Attempts would also be made to ensure that criticism remains within the coalition.
At the meeting of the United Front's parliamentary party on Saturday held before the vice-presidential election, both Prime Minister IK Gujral and Front convenor N Chandrababu Naidu wanted efforts to be made to ensure unity within the coalition. Gujral said disunity would affect the performance of the government and and also alienate the people.
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Several Front leaders want that the Uttar Pradesh experiment should be repeated in other states. Prior to the assembly elections in the state, Front constituents had campaigned together, held joint rallies and had come out with a common minimum programme.
'Such experiments should be repeated in all the states. This will help us unite and also fight elections unitedly,' a member of the Front's standing committee said. The modalities of holding joint rallies are yet to be worked out but were expected after some meetings of the steering committee, he said.
The recently-concluded meeting of the CPI(M) politbureau also deliberated on the theme. West Bengal chief minister Jyoti Basu reportedly told his colleagues that any efforts to weaken the coalition would prove counter-productive to the interests of his party.
Basu said the Congress' intention of making a back-door entry into the United Front was clear and if the Left parties persisted with their belligerence towards the coalition government, it would only push the other constituents towards the Congress.
A senior CPI leader also said that since the Congress was interested more in weaning away some constituents for future alliance, it was incumbent upon the Left to keep the entire flock together. 'This can be done with more consultations and accommodation,' he added.