Those in the Congress who want party President Sitaram Kesari to become the Prime Minister sought to put up a brave face yesterday faced with the thumbs down signal implicit in Tamil Maanila Congress leader GK Moopanars statement that the Congress should join the Gowda government.
Kesaris bid hinges on the TMC and some other Front constituents changing sides. Asked if the statement meant that the TMC was not coming back to the parent Congress, Kesaris political secretary Tariq Anwar said: We dont think so.
Rejecting Moopanars invitation, Anwar reiterated the Congress stand that it would support the United Front government without joining it.
Moopanar had added that Sonia Gandhi could be the sole rallying point for reuniting the party. A senior Kesari aide interpreted this to mean that Moopanar could use an appeal from Sonia Gandhi if and when he wanted to switch sides.
However, many others in political circles interpreted the reference to mean that Moopanar did not acknowledge Kesari as the leader of the party. Moopanar had recently told the core group of United Front leaders that his party was committed to the Front and would not back a bid by Kesari to take Gowdas place.
Evidently uneasy with a question about whether the Congress saw Sonia Gandhi as the sole rallying point, Anwar answered in generalities, saying the Nehru family had made a major contribution to the Congress, and noone could deny that the party would gain strength if she became active.
Asked about Moopanars claim that a senior Congress leader, apparently Sharad Pawar, was eager for the party to join the Gowda government, Anwar said he did not think any party leader was hobnobbing with the government.
The entire party was united, he said. The Congress Working Committee and the high command and not any individual would decide about continuing to support the Front, and not any individual.
