NEW DELHI: Sources close to the United Front Government believe that following the change of guard, pressures are likely to grow within the Congress Party to join the coalition soon. Much will, however, depend on the outcome of the Uttar Pradesh elections. For the present, Gowda is unperturbed and maintaining his personal ties with Rao. He called on Rao after he was forced to quit office, but has yet to meet Kesri. The argument given for his meetings with Rao were that they were leaders of the two Parliamentary groups. Gowda had a hectic schedule last week. Jaffer Sharief and Madhavrao Scindia were among those who met him. He is leaving for UP tomorrow to address election meetings. The Prime Minister is expected to meet Kesri after he returns from UP.
The Prime Minister did not discuss the changed political situation even informally with his colleagues in the UP, after today’s Cabinet meeting. Nor has he called a meeting of the Steering Committee of the UP. All this will happen after the Assembly elections. The Political Affairs committee of the Janata Dal will also meet after the UP pools. The Left parties are also watching the situation cautiously. The politburo of the CPM is slated to meet on October 13 and 14, and the CPI’s national council will also discuss the political fallout of new situation.
The Gowda Government is quite happy with the present’ arrangement of the Congress supporting it from outside. If the group favoring change of leadership in the CPP succeeds, the pressure to participate in the Government may increase; this could upset the constituents of the fragile coalition. The Central Committee of the CPM had adopted a resolution in May this year that it would support a non-Congress non BJP Government from outside. If the Congress plans to join the coalition, the CPM resolution will become a stumbling block. But Rao’s exit will change many of these equations.
Article extracted from this publication >> October 2, 1996
