NEW DELHI: The corruption issue, now rocking India’s politics as never before, in all probability, will claim its ultimate victim prime minister Narasimha Rao himself, The process was set in motion by the discovery of the police telltale from the Delhi house of a businessman a few months ago. It contained a list of important politicians and bureaucrats who received hush payments for unidentified favors.
The supreme court prodded India’s hesitant investing agency C.B.I. to complete the process and charge sheet the guilty, While three central ministers have already been booked for corruption, the CBI has reportedly collected evidence of Rao’s own involvement in the scandal. Smitten by the government’s selective charge sheeting of politicians including LK. Advant, the B.J.P. is likely to approach the highest court to intervene so that an enquiry is also held about the prime minister’s involvement.
While the judicial proceedings are still awaited, behind the scene activities are on in India’s ruling party to throw out Rao and bring in his place the Industry Minister Kurunakam as next prime minister. However, left to Rao, he would like home minister S.B.Chavan to succeed him and save him from harassment from investing agencies, To retrieve the situation as much as is possible, the prime minister is likely to dissolve the lower house of Parliament to pave the way for election in March, rather than April, as was earlier. The dissolution may necessitate an intern government court intervention is unlikely to help Rao retain that position. In that event, Rao’s preference is for Chavan. But, according to informed sources.
Senior Congress leaders are veering round to selecting Kurunakam to succeed Rao.
Article extracted from this publication >> January 24, 1996
