The Left parties are opposed to the idea of considering Tamil Maanila Congress (TMC) chief G K Moopanar as a successor to caretaker Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda and would instead prefer somebody like Janata Dal and Union railway minister Ram Vilas Pawan.
Left sources pointed to allegations of Moopanars involvement in the Rs 2,000-crore Indian Bank scam as the reason for their opposition to the TMC leaders accession to the prime ministerial throne.
The case is being vigorously pursued by Janata Party leader Subramaniam Swamy who appears to have been liberally helped by the Prime Ministers Office (PMO), enabling him to produce Reserve Bank of India (RBI) documents.
Though a section of the United Front (UF) feels that Moopanar is not involved in the scam, the Left parties are firm on steering clear of those who have been accused of involvement in any scam.
Political observers point out that the Communist Party of India (Marxist)s declaration that it will withdraw from the Front if Gowda is changed, has come not from the partys politburo, but from the partys floor leader in the Lok Sabha, Somnath Chatterjee.
According to them, the declaration could have come from Sitaram Yechuri as well. Therefore, Chatterjees statement is more of the partys thought than decision, the observers pointed out. This means, that this can be changed, they added.
According to the observers, Moopanar, who otherwise appears to be the strongest candidate for replacing Gowda, may have to encounter strong opposition from the Left. The TMC leader had to take a stand against Gowda and then arrive at an understanding with Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) president and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi.
Incidentally, the TMC leader has the backing of Congress president Sitaram Kesri.
The observers said that Gowdas resistance to step down was based on the assurances which he had received from Congress partys floor leader in the Lower House, Sharad Pawar. Pawar had assured Gowda that the members of his party, about 70 in number, would support the Prime Minister during the vote of confidence. Had that happened, a joint government with Pawars participation would have been formed.
But, Pawar failed to muster these numbers. Gowda, who otherwise may have resigned even earlier than April 11, kept on banking on this assurance.
According to reports, Kesri was so agitated that at one point when there was the so-called revolt by some of the party MPs at a tea hosted by Pawar that the Congress chief was on the verge of stripping Pawar of his parliamentary post, before changing his mind at the last moment.
As of now, Moopanar appears to be the most obvious successor to Gowda. But, Lefts intransience on the issue has given rise to the uncertainty in the UF camp.
That is why, if Janata Dal president and Bihar Chief Minister Laloo Prasad Yadav and Samajwadi Party (SP) supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav do not object, the Left parties may opt for Paswan.
The rationale is that though foreign minister I K Gujral can be made the Prime Minister, but he has no grassroots base.
On the contrary, Paswan has a substantial grassroots base and the potential of taking away votes from other quarters as well, which would be quite useful in the next elections.
But, even this choice wont be easy, the political observers said.
