NEW DELHI: Mrs. Sonia Gandhi’s sharp reaction to a family friend.” Mohammed Yarnu’s statement and stiff opposition from a section of senior leaders has had a dampening effect on hard-line supporters from the Congress president, P.V. Narasimha Rao. Clamoring for action against senior party leader, Arjun Singh.

The unhappiness of late Rajiv Gandhi’s widow over Yanus’s claim that he would prefer to begin the streets of Delhi than join politics or allow her children to do so” was expressed by a spokesman of 10 Jana path who said Mrs. Sonia Gandhi has issued no statement or authorized any statement on her behalf

Meanwhile, the Congress MP. S.S. Ahluwalia, warmed party leaders against dragging the names of the late Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi in the present crisis in the party. He said the party men would not sir idle. Ahluwalia pooh poohed Ghulam Nabi Azad’s attack on Singh and his claim to be the “conscience keeper” of lac Rajiv Gandhi “If anybody has been closer loyal to the departed leaders, he or she should not make it public, primarily as loyalty is not a thing to make public and, certainly, no Congress member can claim to be more or less loyal to these leaders.

Significantly, Arjun Singh, who was the indirect target of Yanus’s statement, called on Mrs. Gandhi last week to explain his stand. The meeting assumed significance in the context of a Union Minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad’s charge that he would expose Singh’s efforts to topple the Rajiv Gandhi government in course of time.

Talking to a group of Congress workers at his residence, Arjun Singh also struck a more conciliatory note. He denied that there was any possibility of the party being split and expressed the hope that the current crisis would be resolved soon

The shift in the attitude of hawks in the Rao camp was evidenced in the disclaimer of the Kerala Chief Minister, K. Karunakaran from Thiruvanthapuram that he had demanded disciplinary action against Singh Karunakaran was one of the most vocal critics of Singh since his resignation from the Cabinet and had been asked by Rao to ascertain the views of CWC members and other leaders before making up his mind on how to counter his principal antagonist.

The clamor for action against Singh had been toned down when the Maharashtra Chief Minister. Sharad Pawar, finally decided to oppose the move. The senior, CWC members, N.D. Tiwari and AK. Antony, had been outspoken in their opposition to the demand from the beginning. They received tacit support from two young CWC members, Rajesh Pilot and Ahmed Patel.

Article extracted from this publication >> January 20, 1995