Allies to accept Congress choice of a leader

MANDATE 2004

The allies of the Congress have said they will fully back any leader of the Congress in the formation of the new government, though they will have preferred its President Sonia Gandhi for the post of Prime Minister.

At a press conference, senior Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) leader Somnath Chatterjee said it was an internal matter of the Congress to decide who should be the prime ministerial candidate.

The CPI(M) leader said the present campaign being launched by the Sangh Parivar against Gandhi was aimed at nullifying the popular verdict.

He said it was unfortunate that "sinister attempts" were being made by the National Democratic Alliance to stall the appointment of the Prime Minister.

"There is a campaign of vilification and despicable attempts were being made to overrule the verdict of the people," he said.

He, however, made it clear that it had no problem in accepting senior Congress leader Manmohan Singh as head of the new coalition government. "We have no problem with Manmohan Singh. He is one of the most decent persons, a knowledgeable economist and I will opt for him any time over any person in BJP," he said.

Interestingly, Chatterjee pointed out that the markets soared as soon as speculations about Gandhi's reluctance to take up the Prime Minister's post spread.

He charged "vested interests" with manipulating the stock market, and demanded a comprehensive inquiry into the crash to identify those responsible. He alleged that the outgoing NDA government was benefiting from the current instability.

CPI(M) spokesman Sitaram Yechury said Sonia was elected as the head of the coalition by all pre-poll allies and supporting partners and letters of support were given. Now since there would be a change in leadership the parties would be giving fresh letters of support, he added.

The CPI also had a similar position on the issue.

"The leadership of the Congress is their internal matter," CPI Secretary D Raja said after a delegation of Congress leaders met his party General Secretary AB Bardhan and him to convey Sonia's decision not to take up the post of the prime minister.

Raja said Congress leaders Manmohan Singh, Ghulam Nabi Azad and Arjun Singh conveyed to them that she has refused to become Prime Minister and it was her personal decision.

This afternoon, Sonia had sent party seniors to leaders of allied parties, conveying her decision not to take up the top post.

The allies were also told that her "decision was final" and that they should not insist upon her becoming Prime Minister.

Manmohan Singh himself met DMK chief M Karunanidhi to convey her decision.

Along with Arjun Singh and Ghulam Nabi Azad, Manmohan Singh also met CPI(M) leader Harkishen Singh Surjeet and told them of Sonia's decision. Natwar Singh and ML Fotedar met Lok Janashakti Party (LJP) chief Ramvilas Paswan, while Nationalist Congress party leader Sharad Pawar was told of this decision by other leaders.

Senior leaders of the Congress, Left parties and Samajwadi Party (SP) met here today to discuss the situation arising out of Sonia's decision.

SP General Secretary Amar Singh told the media that his party had left to Surjeet the decision on who should become the Prime Minister. He said the SP wanted the formation of a secular government at the Centre led by the Congress and in this regard had extended "suo motu support" to the coalition led by the party.

At the same time, Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati yesterday said her party would extend "issue-based outside" support to the Congress-led alliance to form a government at the Centre.

The DMK yesterday stuck to its decision of not joining the coalition government at the Centre for now.

"There are several reasons (for not joining now). I can't disclose them. We will observe how the new government shapes up and then take a decision," DMK president M Karunanidhi told reporters.

Asked if there was any time-frame for taking a decision, the DMK chief, who is here in connection with the formation of the new government, said, "It can be certain weeks. It can be 10 days. It can be 50 days also."

The party's working committee had already passed a resolution to this effect and authorised him to take a decision, Karunanidhi said adding after analysing the situation here he would discuss the issue with senior leaders before taking a decision.