CHANDIGARH: While the Congress high command is engaged in hammering out a “formula for compromise” to resolve the Punjab imbroglio, the Chief Minister, Mr. Harcharun Singh Brar, returned to Chandigarh June 25.

With senior Congress leader, Mr. Pranab Mukherjee, slated to submit his report to the party President, Mr. P.V. Narasimha Rao, this week, indications are that the crisis, which has paralyzed the functioning of the government for close to two weeks now, will blow over. Reporters indicate that in view of the “adamant” posture adopted by the dissidents who had a meeting with both Mr. Mukherjee and.

Rao in New Delhi Tuesday, the party ‘command has appointed an AICC observer to seek the views of the members of the Congress Legislative Party individually.

Sources close to the Chief Minister said June 25th that Mr. Brar had met Mr, Mukherjee and Mr. Rio in New Delhi on Monday and returned to the state capital to resume his normal functioning. The sources discounted all rumors that Mr. Brar would submit his resignation or convene 3 meeting of the Congress Legislative Party. During his stay in the national capital, neither such a suggestion was made to Mr. Brar by senior Congress leaders nor was any such move on the cards, sources added. Soon after his arrival Mr. Brar was closeted with some of his colleagues and MLAs at his residence. Mr. Brar, it is reported, was not averse to any “formula” which the party high command may suggest 0 tide over the crisis or to give a “face saver” to the dissidents, who have been camping in New Delhi since June 12. The response of Mr. Brarto any such formula being worked out by the party high command would depend as to what it suggested, sources added.

From all available accounts there seems to be a general view that the party high command may not affect any change in the leadership of the Congress Legislative Party, while the dissidents have been pressing hard for the replacement of Mr. Brar. Their main argument and line of action has been that if Mr. Brar continued to be the Chief Minister the party would face a humiliating defeat when the Assembly elections are held in the next couple of months, The party could win just two Parliament seats (Amritsar and Gurdaspur) out of 13 Again out of a total of 117 Assembly segments, the Congress faced defeat in 85 constituencies.

The counterargument put forward by Mr, Brar is what strategy the dissidents had to ensure a Congress victory at the

 

Time of the Assembly poll. He alone cannot be held responsible for the party’s humiliating debacle and the blame has to be apportioned to all party men. “It is wrong to hold only one individual responsible for the party’s performance,” he has told the party high command.

 

Article extracted from this publication >>  June 26, 1996