NEW DELHE: It was high drama as National Front members of Parliament fresh from their electoral triumph, trooped into the hallo wed central hall of Parliament Friday afternoon to choose India’s new Prime Minister, report PTI.
An air of suspense pervaded the crowed hall about who the chosen one would be. Most believed it would be V.P. Singh but none could take it for granted either.
And surprises followed Singh proposing Devi Lal’s name and Chandrasekhar seconding it. That was it the Chief Minister from Haryana in the north would be India’s seventh Prime Minister after all, some thought.
But it was not to be.
The tall leader of the Jat community politely declined and instead proposed the name of V.P. Singh.
With Ajit Singh swiftly seconding, the election of the Raja of Manda (V P Singh) to the country’s highest executive post was approved and with defeating applause.
The high domed circular central hall, usually the preserve of politicians and the privileged few among the media, was thrown open to many more.
There were hundreds of journalists, both from India and abroad, TV crews and photographers, thronging the already jam packed hall, as the proceedings began for the election of the leader.
There were many more journalists waiting outside the hall as the doors were closed during the election. The election over, the doors were again open and the scribes rushed in.
Leaders of the Janata Dal and the National Front were mobbed by newsmen who virtually forced important press conferences from each of them. There was Prof Madhu Dandavate, explaining the atmosphere during the election.
Chandrashekar, I.K. Gujral and Ramakrishna Hegde who were sit ting in a row, faced the flash of cameras from photographers and a barrage of questions from news men.
Maneka Gandhi (daughter in law of late Indira Gandhi), who is making her maiden entry into the Lok Sabha sat quietly in a comer, answering questions from a couple of newsmen.
As V.P. Singh’s election was announced, photographers rushed towards the dais to grab vantage points, resulting in much jostling and display of muscle power.
Devi Lal, speaking after the election, remarked that never before had the central hall witnessed such a free atmosphere.
Chandrasekhar sore
Chandrasekhar, who minced no words in expressing his disapproval of the election process, left the hall abruptly, just before Singh’s press conference.
Outside the parliament house, milling crowds waited to greet the elected leader and other MPs. They raised slogans of “V P Singh Zindabad” (long live V P singh), “Devi Lal Zindabad”, as the lead ers came out. ’
Article extracted from this publication >> December 8, 1989
