NEW DELHI: United Front leader and Kamalaka Chief Minister H.D, Deve Gowda is to be sworn in as the ‘country’s new Prime Minister on June 1. He has been asked to prove his majority by June 12.

Than evening of high drama following the resignation of Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, Gowda was invited by President Shanker Dayal Sharma to form the next government. Known in Kamataka as “Mannina maga” (son of the soil), Gowda will be the country’s 12th Prime Minister.

For the UF, which was holding its breath for the coveted invitation, the difficult task of planning government formation will begin this week. While ‘most of the UF’s constituents barring the Left parties are likely to join the Government, the question of minister ships for hawala tainted leaders still hangs fire. Work on a common minimum program, including economic policy, has been taken up son a war footing.

Asked if he thought it would be difficult to run a government made up ‘of a conglomeration of 13 parties, (Gowda said:” I have accepted this challenge in the full knowledge of the I present fluid political situation. I will itty to make use of this opportunity to serve the 900 million people of this country.” | He also said that he would have a “close rapport on various issues” with the Congress President besides the ‘her parties in the UF. The Congress ‘has lent unconditional support to the UF and there was no question of the Preaden tacking for a fresh letter of support from the former, he said. Rao is likely to discuss with senior Congress leaders this week the future course of action by his party and the basis of its support to the Front Looking tired but composed on his. Return from Rashtrapati Bhavan, Gowda said, ‘I never expected this. In my life, I have never felt either joy or sorrow. That’s my nature, I always take things philosophically.

He is expected to return to Bangalore this week to resign from the post of chief minister and to preside over the election of his successor. The Karnataka Janata Dal Legislature Party is to meet on June 30. Among the frontrunners are current Deputy CM J H Patel, C.M. Ibrahim, S.R. Bommai, Siddaramaiah and Ramesh Kumar.

Gowda, met the President earlier to sake his claim to form the government, he also submitted individual letters of support from 190 MPs as well as a resolution of the UF electing him as their leader.

Within half an hour of the meeting, Congress President P.V. Narasimha Rao also met Sharma, and dispelled doubts that the 134member Congress party in Parliament was having second thoughts on extending its support to the UF. Rao’s earlier letter of support is already with the President. Immediately after that, Gowda was once again summoned to Rashtrapati Bhavan and asked Lo form the government. Gowda later drove straight to Andhra Bhavan and was closeted with JD President Laloo Yadav and Andhra. CM Chandrababu Naidu.

The UF Steering Committee as well as former Prime Minister V.P. Singh had earlier gone into huddle as soon as Vajpayee resigned; but the leaders had dispersed by the time Gowda returned from Rashtra pari Bhavan since they thought he had been called ‘only for further consultations. The President’s invitation was not expected that night.

Earlier that day, Gowda met Rao. Who is said to have reiterated the support of the Congress from outside to the UF, CPI (M) General Secretary Harkishen Singh Surjeet also met Gowda for a brief while in the afternoon at Karnataka Bhawan. ‘The Congress officially has not made clear what conditions it has put for supporting the UP. Quizzed about this, AICC general secretary Devendra Dwivedi remarked: “Let us not talk of conditions, let us talk of broad understandings.”

Congress spokesman V.N. Gadgil remarked “Act one of the dramas is over. Let us wait and watch when the second act unfolds.” Replying to a question, Gadgil said his party did not share Gowda’s reported views on the RSS. Vajpayee in this speech in the Lok Sabha had quoted newspaper reports that the Front leader had commended the RSS at a function to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the proclamation of Emergency.

UF spokesman Jaipal Reddy, however, said that Gowda had told the Steering Committee that he had been misquoted by the media. He had immediately contradicted the reports and the clarification had been published in Bangalore at that time.

Article extracted from this publication >>  May 29, 1996