BOMBAY: Janata Dal leader and former Prime Minister V.P Singh predicts a return of “short-term: Coalition politics” at the Center after the next general elections and “a surprise” in Maharashtra after the forth-coming Assembly elections here.
Addressing a press conference here on July 16 Singh said that Recording to present trends the Congress bastions in several states ‘Will be wiped oul with the Janata Dal expected to make a considerable head way in some other states
According to Singh’s political calculations the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would replace the Congress in Gujarat followed by the Janata Dal regimes coming to power in key states like Bihar Karnataka and Orissa. The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) would form the next Government in Andhra Pradesh and the leftist parties would be returned in Kerala and West Bengal. The National Front would bag Arunachal Pradesh and Tripura and is also slated to become a major political entity in the national political seen a no Singh asserted. He said that the three main groups the Congress BJP and Raoul Front would be left with a few States each and the country would have yet another short-term spelt of coalition politics.
Explaining the reasons for this Singh said that the issue of sharing of power by various Sections of Society that have not yet shared power is still being decided which would result in the scenario envisaged by him
Singh lamented that since quite some time the country’s you and their burning issues have gone off the national agenda. “Suddenly we find that nobody is talking about the youth -they do not figure anywhere even in the top 10 priorities before the country don’t they matter at all now.” he pointed out
Singh urged Prime Minister Narasimha Rao to immediately convene a meeting of the recently formed National Youth Council and arm it with statutory powers ‘The PM must heed their views and examine their needs and evolve a national youth policy to enable the youth to participate in the national mainstream. He also exhorted the government to for with announce a comprehensive universal education policy “There should be a national commitment the youth we thé JD have we ready written to the PM on this.” he said.
Discussing the issue of corruption he said that till parties must treat and tickle it as a national problem afflicting to the entire system.” The system of which individuals area compromised during elections for game ring funds and called for settling the question of state funding of elections along with the proposed electoral reforms While the JD disagreed with Chief Election Commissioner T. N. Seshan it Supported his views and message On aspects like money and hustle power employed during elections.
Regarding G. R. Khaimair and his ongoing crusade against corruption Singh said that he met the former Bombay DMC and found him to be a very sincere min with his heart in the right place” but cautioned him to keep off all political parties
Article extracted from this publication >> July 22, 1994
