NEW DELHI: Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao has indicated to chief’ election commissioner T.N, Seshan that he prefers the elections to the Lok Sabha to be held in the second week of June. The sudden change in the Prime Minister’s plan has upset Seshan who wants the government to stick to its ¢earlier commitment to the Election Commission that the general elections would be held before April 1996.
Sestian has been favoring holding polls in February ever since he cancelled the by polls be had planned this year. This was done after Seshan wanied the government and all major opposition pastes to formally request him to postpone Mridow love to Rao say certain political factors appear to have forced the Prime Minister to abandon his previous plan for an early poll, Apparently, he does not want the ruling party to rush to the hosting till what he considers to be tie negative factors are nullified. “The timing of the polls will naturally be Rao’s prerogative. He wishes to time it when he thinks it is best for the Congress and for him,” one of aides said.
The Prime Minister’s decision to delay the polls was first indicated to party MPs a month ago when he denied any move to advance them. “Tell me two reasons why the polls should be held early, I will give you 100 reasons why we should last the full term,” Rao told the MPs, who were confused by his somersault.
Rao had signaled his earlier decision to advance the polls when his aides told market research groups to carry out a detailed survey of at least 200 parliamentary constituencies where the Congress should concentrate for clear win, He had also asked the sitting MPs to furnish detailed profiles of their constituencies. The developments in Uttar Pradesh, particularly the installation of the BSP. government, supported by the BJP, the revival of the Sonia Gandhi factor ‘after her Amethi visit, dethroning of N.T, Rana Rao, the political advantage gained be the BJP on the Enron issue, and its feverish preparation for an early poll appear to have weighed ‘on Rao’s mind before he decided on late general elections.
Article extracted from this publication >>September 8, 1995
