The United Front yesterday decided put up a brave face and try to prove its majority on the floor of the House, in order to prove a political point that it was the Congress which joined hands with the communal BJP to bring down the government without any reason.
Having decided to emulate its mentor, former Prime Minister VP Singh, who also went down fighting on the floor of the House, the Front spokesman announced that the UF stood united behind its Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda.
Talking to journalists after a three-hour meeting of the Front, Jaipal Reddy claimed the government would prove its majority on the floor of the House. However, he didnt spell out how the Front hoped to prove its majority, without changing HD Deve Gowda as its leader.
You can not expect me to spell out this, Reddy told journalists who pressed for a detailed narrative of the Fronts plans about Congress.
The lone absentee from the meeting was West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu, who is expected in town today. The steering committee may meet today also, as all the leaders are present in the capital and they are contacting each other to devise a strategy to tide over the present crisis.
Reddy ruled out a change of Prime Minister saying it was non negotiable. The Steering Committee meeting began a full two and a half hours late as TMC leader GK Moopanar had a separate meeting with Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and DMKs leader and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi at his residence before the steering committee meeting. The three parties are said to have decided to move together within the Front.
CPI(M) general secretary Harkishan Singh Surjeet is also said to have met Moopanar after the latters meeting with Naidu and Karunanidhi. Surjeet was the last to land at the Prime Ministers residence for the steering committee. He was over two hours late.
Reddy said senior leaders of the Front were in touch with Congress leaders. CPI (M) general secretary Harkishan Singh Surjeet is expected to meet Congress President Sitaram Kesari to reason with him to change his decision to withdraw support.
Former Prime Minister and the Fronts source of inspiration VP Singh yesterday kept in touch with senior Front leaders from his hospital bed, advising them to stand their ground.
He told some Front leaders who called on him that Kesaris stand would harm Congress interests. Singh was also of the opinion to continue with the same leadership.
The UFs gameplan revolves around the hope of a split in the Congress following the threat of snap polls. The entire Congress joining the Front government is unacceptable to us, a steering committee member said. A part of it would be welcome, he said and added that the Front government needed just around 84 Congress MPs.
Reddy said that although they did not want elections but if we are forced what we can do?.
Meanwhile former Prime Minister V P Singh yesterday expressed optimism that the current crisis facing the United Front government could be defused through negotiations with the Congress.
