NEW DELHI: A hasty installation of a minority Congress (I) government at the Centre with Our majority support for it in Parliament has raised doubts among constitutional experts whether the President ignored certain established conventions in the matter

While inviting P.V.Narasimha Rao leader of the largest single Party in Parliament to form the ministry the President has not 8iven any indication as to how he came to the conclusion that Rao would be able to ensure a stable government. It is for the first time that any leader was invited to form the government within hours of his being elected leader of the party which does not enjoy majority in the Lok Sabha. Rao however was made an exception and extended the invitation party’s claim.

The President invited Rao to form the government without consulting any other major political group or even seeking the views of the allies in writing about their unconditional commitment to the Congress (I) government.

Under the Constitution the President can appoint any person as prime minister. However the convention requires that before taking such a step he must convince himself of the possibility of the majority support in the Lok Sabha of such claims.

In the case of Rao there is nothing on the record to suggest that he enjoys the support of the Congress (I) allies such as AIADMK and the Muslim league. This was contrary to the procedure followed by the President during December 1989 and November 1990. In fact the BJP the National Front and the Left parties which outnumber the Congress (I) and its allies have already decided to sit in the opposition

In December 1989 the President invited Rajiv Gandhi leader of the largest party in Parliament Congress (I) for exploring the possibility of forming the government. He did this even after it was known that V.P.Singh enjoyed the majority support of the House.

In November 1990 again after he obtained a letter of assurance from Rajiv Gandhi that he would get unqualified support of the Congress (I) party in Parliament.

In the present case surprisingly the President has nothing in writing about the kind of support Rao enjoyed in the Lok Sabha. Political observers are wondering how Rao was sure of being invited to form the government. It may be recalled that in an interview with Doordarshan before being sworn in as Prime Minister Rao had made it clear that he would approach other political parties for support only after forming the government

While constitutional pundits are left wondering about reasons for such an unprecedented step on the part of the President various explanations are being sought to be given now.

According to several opposition parties the hasty installation of the Congress (I) government was aimed at getting the Punjab elections postponed thereby further diluting the minority character of the government. With a tally of 239 Lok Sabha MPs including its allies the AIADMK and the Muslim League the Congress (i) is short of 22 members for a bare majority. If Punjab had gone to the polls this figure would have risen up to 30. There were clear hints that the opposition particularly the BJP would have made substantial gains in the Punjab if the elections were held on schedule (June 22).

The Chief Election Commissioner T.N. Seshan who was determined to hold the Punjab elections until a day before the ministry beat a hasty retreat and immediately announced the postponement. He did not even bother to inform the outgoing Prime Minister Chandra Shekhar or the PM-designate P.V.Narasimha Rao Home ministry sources confided however that’s Seshan was in with Rashtrapati Bhavan on this issue.

In fact the immediate consequence of the deferment of the Punjab election is that the minority character of the Rao government has been diluted as at present the government has support of 239 out of 503 M.P.s The Congress (1) is likely to lose the remaining four seats in Bihar whose results have been withheld by the Election Commission Had the elections been held in Punjab the Congress (I) would have enjoyed the support of only 239 out of 518 with a minority of 39 M.P.s.

During the last few months the Rashtrapati Bhavan has been the hub of many unsavory political controversies including the selective embargo imposed on certain appointed decisions which were perceived as going against the Congress (I) interests Prominent opposition leader Madhu Limaye has already alleged that the President was politicking.

In the light of pronouncements by certain political parties the installation of minority Congress (i) government has raised vital questions as to the manner of ensuring a majority in the Lok Sabha. After all major political parties went on record stating they would oppose the government The national front and the left have only assured of issue-based support to the minority government. Only defections can ensure majority for the government.

 

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