NEW DELHI: The Congress the Left Front and the National Front are likely to form a coalition government at the centre in the event of a hung Parliament.

The leaders of all three parties are united on the issue of keeping the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) out of any coalition government or alliance at the centre. In their exploratory talks recently they have only agreed in principle to form a non-BJP government.

The parties have agreed on the need for a coalition government because the failure of the V.P.Singh and Chandra Shekhar governments has proved that ‘outside support’ does not work. Nor is President Venkataraman likely to accept such an arrangement his time. A senior Congress leader said that even the opposition (BJP) would have to behave differently after the elections and sustain the government for at least a minimum length of time. You have to restore the credibility of the system. The low voting percentage is a vote against all politicians he said.

Initially the Congress favored an alliance only with the Left Front in the event of a hung Parliament Punjab Congress leader Raghunandan Lal Bhatla a protege of Congress president P.V. Narasimha Rao had approached senior leaders of the Left Front for a discussion on post-poll scenarios.

Though conceding that talks had taken place two consitents of the Left Front said that they would not terminate the alliance with the National Front in the post-election period. Senior Left Front leaders therefore feel that a coalition government comprising the Congress the National Front and the Left Front would be formed it no party secured a majority

However a formal decision would be taken only after the elections when the apex bodies of the different Front constituents would hold their separate meetings scheduled to be held between June 20 and 24.

In the event of a coalition sources said that the Prime Minister would not be conceded to the Congress even if it emerged as the single largest party in Parliament. Political observers however opined that the Left’s attitude on this question was merely to secure a ministerial berth for each of its constituent units.

Interestingly when a senior Left leader approached former Prime Minister V.P.Singh on the possibility of having to align with the Congress after the elections he is reported to have replied that he had never been averse to the Congress and had left it only because of Rajiv Gandhi.

A senior Janata Dal leader however said it was wishful thinking that V.P.Singh would be acceptable to the Congress. He said that while V.P.Singh is the only centrist leader today who is popular among the minorities and weaker sections of society he has lost acceptability among the middle class. Therefore his chances of becoming Prime Minister are remote especially since state leaders like Sharad Pawar have thrown their hats in the ring.

The Left and sections of the Congress feel that a ‘consensual’ government must be formed td ensure five-year tenure to the Tenth Lok Sabha. A senior leader said the BJP as the main opposition party would have to be drawn into the consultation process kept informed to allow Parliament to function. The Left believes that BJP would go along because all parties have a common interest in keeping the system going.

BJP general secretary Govindacharya however demurred. He said ultimately consensus will have to be on issues. About Article 370 Ram Janmabhoomi the common civil code and the approach to the Jammu & Kashmir problem our Stance is clear and different. It is the perception on issues which will decide who is with whom

A senior Janata Dal leader feels the need for a non-BJP government even though the party is in a dilemma over joining the government as this would make the. BJP the only alternative opposition party. He cautioned that the BJP has already become attractive for the middle classes bureaucrats and military men and that all those who react against the government for whatever reason will embrace the BJP.

Article extracted from this publication >> June 14, 1991