NEW DELHI: The Congress (I) was on the comeback trail in Assam and began government formation efforts in Haryana Pondicherry and Kerala while a new Left Front ministry headed by Jyoti Basu will assume office in west Bengal on June 25.

The Bharatiya Janata party was running on top in Uttar Pradesh winning half of the 211 declared assembly seats keeping the Janata Dal in second position with 64 Seats while the Congress (I) in its Worst ever performance in the slate Was trailing with a mere 20 seats. The Bahujan Samaj party has won cight seats the SJP six CPI three and others five.

In the eastern Indian state of Assam the Congress (I) was putting up an impressive performance holding 28 of 51 declared assembly seats and leading in several constituencies.

The Asom Gana Parishad whose government was ousted a few months ago won seven seats while the communist party of India was running with two seats. The BJP made its debut in the assembly with two seats while independents won 12 seats of which four had been won by those supported by the autonomous state demand committee.

In Tamil Nadu the all India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam which won 163 of the 232 assembly seats has postponed its legislature party meeting scheduled Tuesday to a future date. The chief minister-designate Jayalalitha the actress-turned politician who inherited the MGR legacy in the southern state was expected to form her government later this week.

The Congress (10 won 61 of the 65 seats it contested in alliance with the AIADMK but is not participating in the new ministry. The DMK and its allies have won just cight seats.

Haryana saw the re-emergence of the Congress (I) with an absolute majority in the state assembly. The party bagged 51 of the 90 seats leaving 16 to SJP 12 to the Haryana Vikas party three to the Janata Dal two of the BJP and one to the BSP. Independents won five seats.

In Pondicherry the Congress (I) bagged half of the fifteen seats and its ally the AIADMK won 6 seats The party was expected to head the government with the participation of the AIADMK but there now are indications that the election of the legislative party leader will not be a smooth affair for the Congress.

Reports from the union territory said differences in the state congress leadership had come to the fore with one of the party leaders Kannan questioning the right of the state party chief P Shanmugham to call a meeting of the newly elected party legislators.

Kannan a forming minister and a contender for the CLP leadership said the meeting which the PCC chief had called for Tuesday evening should have been convened with the approval of the party high command.

Shanmugham who had I sot the territorial assembly polls by narrow margin dismissed the objection saying the meeting was an informal one.

In West Bengal the Septuagenarian Marxist leader Jyoti Basu will form the fourth successive Left Front government at a function at Raj Bhavan in Calcutta on June 25.

The Left Front has won a two thirds majority for the fourth time in a row with the major partner the communist party of India (Marxist) alone getting an absolute majority in the 292-member assembly. The party has won 187 seats while its allies the forward bloc picked up 28 seats the RSP 19 the CPI seven and the Janata Dal one.

The Congress (I) under the leadership of Siddarth Shankar Ray won 43 seats.

In Kerala where the Congress (I) led united democratic Front trounced the CPI (M)-led Left democratic Front the Congress (I) leader and former chief minister K Karunakaran is expected to head the new government which is likely to be sworn in on Friday. While the party leadership has already initiated ministry-making efforts Karunakaran a congress working committee member is at present in Delhi.

Article extracted from this publication >> June 21, 1991