TIRUCHIRAPPALLE: Chandra Shekhar a senior leader of ruling Janata Dal has said that he could not accept the claim of Prime Minister VP Singh that personality based politics had given place to issue based politics after the National Front government came to power.

“What are the issues that the present government has handled with seriousness,” he asked while speaking to P T L.

Asked about the consensus approach towards solving various problems facing the country, Chandra Shekhar said earlier issues were discussed but this was no longer the case.

On the National Front government continuing in power, he said though at present there was no problem he could not rule out the situation getting difficult in future.

When asked for his views on the present federal government as compared to the earlier Janata Party government which came to power in19 7 7 ousting prime minister Indira Gandhi, Chandra Shekhar said the latter had been run by political stalwarts.

Replying to a question on whether the BJP (right wing party supporting VP Singh government from outside) held the key to the smooth running of the National Front government, he said he did not agree with the statement. Both the BJP and the communist parties had given support he said, adding, however, the BJP was influencing the government more.

On opinion in some quarter: that a farmer should become pri: me minister Chandra Shekhar said in a democracy any person elected by a majority of the members of 2 political party to the prime minis tership could hold that post.

Article extracted from this publication >> June 22, 1990