NEW DELHI: Chandrasekhar, who was one of the prime con tenders for the post of Prime Minister ship, Friday said he was misled on the leadership issue of the Janata Dal party, the main party in the five party national front alliance, PTI reports.
“What was agreed was the initial proposal. The second one was not known to me,” Shekhar said minutes after V.P. Singh was elected leader of the parliamentary party of the Janata Dal.
Chandra Shekhar, who expressed his reservations over Singh’s choice, told newsmen that 15 minutes before the meeting, he was given to understand that V.P. singh would propose the name of Devi Lal and would be required to second the proposal.
As Devi Lal took the floor after his name had been proposed and seconded by him, according to prior understanding, the veteran socialist said he assumed that Devi Lal had accepted the leadership and was going to thank members.
Chandrashekhar said to his utter surprise, Devi Lal proposed V.P. Singh’s name, saying that he was a worker at the grass root level and would like to continue in his present position.
Ajit Singh, the son of the late Prime Minister Charan Singh and one of the senior office bearers of Janata Dal party seconded V.P. Singh’s name and the proposal was carried.
Asked by newsmen whether he felt betrayed, Chandra Shekhar said “it is for you to judge”. Replying to a question, he said he had neither been offered the party president ship nor was he interested in the post.
“I would reject it,” was Shekhar’s categorical reply when news men pressed for his reply in case a proposal was made for making him party president.
About his remark some months ago that he did not consider V.P. Singh to be his leader, Chandhra Shekhar sought to make a distinction by hinting that Singh was the party leader but not a leader he admired.
However, he said “I will cooperate with Singh. The chapter is over.” Chandrashekar said he was neither happy nor unhappy about V.P. Singh’s election. “Nor am I very pleased with it.”
“This government is not a one which has got full support,” he said,
Meanwhile, opposition political leaders welcomed the unanimous election of Singh as the leader of Janata Dal’s parliamentary party and said it was “a good sign for the new government.”
P.Upendra, the Telegu Desam leader and national Front spokesman, said he was happy that the Janata Dal had been able to re solve the problem of leadership amicably.
“I am happy that doubts and misgivings have been removed. It is a good augury for the new government. His election honors the hope and aspirations of the people,” he said.
“We (Telegu Desam) are happy that efforts of the last few years have culminated in removal of the Congress(I) government,” he said and described the election of Singh as the “day of deliverance.”
One of the leaders of the AGP and the people of Assam to V.P. Singh.
The left parties also hailed the election of V.P. Singh as the leader of the Janata Dal saying it was “a true reflection of the people’s de sires.”
Article extracted from this publication >> December 8, 1989
