NEW DELHI: With P.V. Narasimha Rao obliquely hinting that disciplinary action is in the offing against those who transgress the “Lakshman rekha.” speculation is rife about the possibility of some action being taken against Arjun Singh.

Tuesday was the first day since Arjun Singh triggered off the current crisis in the ruling party by resigning from the Cabinet on December 24 that Narasimha Rao chose to address a political meeting. The venue was the lawns of the AICC office on Akbar Road. The meeting was organized by the Youth Congress president. Maninderjit Singh Bitta.

The strong words used by Rao perhaps indicate that the efforts of the doves like Ahmed Patel and Rajesh Pilot notwithstanding the hats, who have been demanding action against Arjun Singh are still active despite the “peace efforts” which had been set in motion last week.

Arjun Singh is a member of the Congress Working Committee (CWC) and from available indications any decision about his future is likely to be taken by the CWC though the party constitution empowers the Congress President in this regard.

A decision on Arjun Singh is not likely to be unanimous, N.D. Tiwari, A.K. Antony. Ahmed Patel and Rajesh Pilot, who are members of the CWC, have clearly hinted that they are in favor of a rapprochement rather than further sharpening of inner-party contradictions.

The last time when a decision was taken through voting in an apex body of the Congress was in 1969 when, on the insistence of the then Congress President, S. Nijlingappa, voting had been done in the Congress Parliamentary Board (CPB) on the question of the candidature of Neelam Sanjiva Reddy for the election to the office of the President of India.

The CPB had decided 5-3 in favor of the syndicate led by Nijlingappa, but this voting process had sown the seeds of a party split. Decisions in the CWC and the CPB are normally taken in the Congress through a consensus and it remains to be seen whether the hawks in the ruling party will be able to evolve a consensus on the question of action against Arjun Singh.

Addressing the Youth Congress meeting on the laws of the AICC office, Rao did not name Arjun Singh but while asserting that disciplinary action would be taken against those who indulged in indiscipline. Rao said: Ours is a democratic party…we don’t want to suppress anybody’s voice. But there is a ‘Lakshman rekha’ for everything. to be the

Rao cautioned Congress elements who tried to be of party while remaining in the Congress. There are people why know are your opponent you there are others who sit you in the party but oppose to every step…we have of such elements. Rao said, “At times. I feel the country remained a slave for centuries because we had people within own backyard who would joint enemy camp to ensure our de seat,” Rao said asserted that the “convulsions in the Congress will be controlled, “My government will remain intact.” he stated.

Observers feel that the “astrological embargo” of “Makar Sankranti ” being over, Rao is likely to go ahead with the reshuffle exercise both within the party and the government. The action against Arjun Singh could be part of this exercise.

Article extracted from this publication >> January 20, 1995