CALCUTTA: West Bengal, Chief Minister Jyoti Basu has ruled out formal support by Left parties to the minority Congress Government at the Center while admitting the ‘danger’ of the BJP coming to power, In an exclusive interview to a pro CPM Bengali daily on the eve of his 79th birthday, Basu said non Congress Governments had sometimes been supported from the outside, but the very idea of Supporting a Congress regime was inconceivable even if it meant playing into the BJP”s hands.
He said this was because the Congress’ record on every front ranging from industry to checking communalism had been poor.
Asked why the CPM sought the resignation of the Prime Minister over the charge of graft leveled by stockbroker Harshad Mehta when its fallout could force another general election, Basu said what they had demanded was P.V.Narasimha Rao’s replacement, not an election. Once proved innocent, Rao could always get back his old job, he said, ideally, he should appear before the JPC to clear the air, Basu added. Questioned on his efforts to unify the breakaway factions of the erstwhile Janata Dal, Basu said though there was no possibility of Y.P_Singh and Mulayam Singh Yadav ever coming together, an electoral understanding between them was perfectly feasible.
Basu said it had to be acknowledged that Yaday’s clout in Uttar Pradesh was considerable. “The Congress is incapable of holding back the BJP tide on its own,” he added.
Article extracted from this publication >> July 23, 1993
