In order to puncture the plans of some United Front constituents like the TMC, DMK and Samajwadi Party to make a fresh bid to form an alternative government, Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda yesterday suggested in the mornings steering committee meeting that the Front should support a Congress government from outside. If the Front constituents were really worried of elections this would be better option than allowing itself to be dictated by the Congress, he said.
Gowda, who resigned on Friday after losing a confidence vote in Lok Sabha, wanted the Front to opt for elections.
The TMC, DMK and Mulayam Singh were yesterday adamant that elections should be avoided at all costs. The wanted to explore the possibility of forming a new government under a new leader.
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The Prime Ministers suggestion surprised all and had a sobering effect on Mulayam, who later reluctantly said he would support Deve Gowdas line of opting for elections.
To placate Mulayam, the steering committee later in the evening resolved to stand by the Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh. Accordingly, the recent attacks on workers of Samajwadi Party in the state, in which altogether 51 people have lost their lives, was strongly condemned.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and convenor of the United Front Chandra Babu Naidu was of the view that if everyone wanted to avoid elections then he would also not have any problems, but he would prefer elections to joining hands with the Congress. TMC and DMK were the most adamant on making a fresh bid for government.
Dissuading them from such a plan, Gowda said the Front might have another understanding with the Congress, which may last for another few months, but you will completely lose your credibility in the eyes of the people.
Ultimately, he said, you have to go to the people. Such an understanding with Congress would be the death knell for the UF. You will hand over power to the BJP on a platter if you do this after what they have done to the United Front. Let us go to polls. We are ruling in eleven states. We can explain to the people how we wanted to give a good government and how we were betrayed, they would understand it, the Prime Minister said.
Mulayam is nursing a grudge against the Front partners for not coming to his aide on the issue of recent attack on his followers in Uttar Pradesh. A Dal leader explained it away by saying that recent events had overtaken the UP issue, causing the misunderstanding in the mind of Mulayam. V P Singh, who was undergoing dialysis when called on by DMK leader Murasoli Maran and M Karunanidhi, said: Maran, please dont break the UF.
Gowda made calls to former Prime Minister Chandra Shekher, Santosh Mohan Dev and other senior leaders to thank them personally.