NEW DELHI: Indian prime minister designate H.D. Deve Gowda began complex negotiations last week to form a center left government that must meet the conflicting demands of a disparate coalition, a spokesman said.
Ms., Jaipal Reddy, spokesman for the United Front alliance said, “Mr. Deve Gowda will be talking to many people about the formation of a cabinet, He’s keeping his cards close to his chest, as he should.”
Deve Gowda, the 63 year old leader of the alliance of leftists and centrists, was named by President Shankar Dayal Sharma on Tuesday to succeed Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the leader of the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP). Sharma asked Vajpayee, who resigned after 12 days in office facing certain defeat in a confidence vote in parliament, to continue as Caretakers prime minister until Deve Gowda was sworn in.
Article extracted from this publication >> June 5, 1996
