CALCUTTA: West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu indicated that the political uncertainty at the Center, caused by the recent split in the Congress, would compel Prime Minister P.V, Narasimha Rao to call for early election Basu indicated this at a public rally at Barrack pore while campaigning for the municipal elections to be held on May 28. He said, his prediction that the Congress would split this month had come true but added that his party ‘was yet to decide on its relationship with the breakaway group. He felt that the need of the hour was for all likeminded parties especially the faction Janata Dal, to unite on a common platform. “A united front has to be created at all costs to defeat the Congress and the BJP,” he said. If the nine party Left Front alliance had held together for 17 years in West. Bengal, despite differences, Basu saw no reason why a similar experiment could not succeed at the national level. Though the split within the Congress is yet to have repercussions in the party’s West Bengal unit, the general feeling in the WBPCC was that the parting was temporary. According to WBPCC general secretary Apurbalal Mazumdar, who is known to be close to Arjun Singh, the situation is still fluid.
The former Speaker felt that the matter was in Ms, Sonia Gandhi’s hands. “Only she can save the party. One word from her and everything will be back to normal.” He said he was saying this in his capacity as the chairman of the State Congress’ SC and ST cell and a longstanding friend and associate of Mr. Singh, But proximity to the dissident camp wasn’t enough to make him switch formal allegiance vel. he added _ WBPCC chief Somen Mitra has, on the other hand, accused Jyoti Basu of nurturing “impractical dreams” of becoming the prime minister with Support Irorn the NP, LF alliances “But he forgets that this requires the backing of 272 MPs with can never be mobilized, The prime minister. Mittra emphasized, had done the right thing by Sacking Singh and his associates.
Article extracted from this publication >> May 26, 1995
