It was a pinch, a whack and finally a push. This was how a senior Congressman described the chronology of events that led to a breakdown of the tenuous UF-Congress relationship and the final parting of ways yesterday.
Initially, in May 1996, the Congress Working Committee (CWC), then under the leadership of P V Narasimha Rao, pledged unconditional support to the United Front government.
After Rao resigned to make way for Sitaram Kesri, the Congress criticism of UF became sharper and by a CWC resolution of November 4, 1996, the party reviewed its decision to give unconditional support and said its support would be conditional and this was the pinch.
The party lashed out at the UF when its working committee on February 16 this year, adopted a more critical stance and warned that if it was not consulted or its views not heeded it would review its decision to support the UF - this was the whack.
Finally on Easter Sunday came the push when the Congress pulled the rug from under the UFs feet.
Several Congress leaders who had gathered at the AICC yesterday sharply criticised the United Front for not standing by the Congress in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab.
We expected them to strengthen secular forces to defeat the communal forces, but the UF let us down, they said.
