NEW DELHI: Prime Minister V.P.Singh continues to be in a dilemma whether to hold elections to the Punjab Assembly although a special session of Parliament has been convened from October I by the government to seek a short extension of President’s rule and fix the poll date”.

The Prime Minister’s dilemma stems from the vague stand of the Congress (I) on the issue. Sources close to the Prime Minister feel that the Congress (I) is up to some “mischief” and may embarrass the government during the special session of parliament. Since the Prime Minister is of the considered view that he will not annoy the BJP and the CPM on the issue and even agreed to extend President’s rule in Punjab for a short duration there are apprehensions that the Congress (1) may get the Constitution Amendment Bill defeated.

The Prime Minister was keen on getting an assurance from the Congress (1) president, Mr Rajiv Gandhi, yesterday at the National Integration Council (NIC) meeting on the subject, but Mr Gandhi did not give any hint of his next course of action. In fact, Mr Gandhi did not say anything about Punjab. He left the meeting midway and circulated copies of his written speech on Punjab.

The apprehension in the Prime Minister’s camp is that the Congress (I) will get the Constitution Amendment Bill defeated in the Lok Sabha and then demand the Resignation of Mr V.P.Singh.

In fact, the Prime Minister reportedly discussed this aspect of the problem with leaders of Left parties,

Mr Harkishan Singh Surjeet and Mr Indrajit Gupta, at the NIC meeting on Sept23. While Mr Surjeet maintained that there could no such problem because the Congress (I) was also keen on extension of President’s rule in the state, Mr Indrajit Gupta said in such a situation it would be better to hold the election in Punjab.

Leaders of the BJP were unavailable for consultations on the issue because they boycotted the NIC meeting.

Although the National Front Government need not resign in the event of the bill being defeated, it will send “wrong signals “to the people who could be swayed by the defeat of the bill.

It is perhaps because of this reason that Mr V.P.Singh has not been committing himself to postponing the elections in Punjab. He has been maintaining that the government is for holding the elections in the state but the BJP and the Left hold different views. In fact, even at the NIC meeting he summed up the Punjab situation by putting forth various options. He said he had talked to a large number of people and leaders belonging to various political parties,

He said he was convinced that the contradictory views given by various political parties were ‘honest assessments and without any bias”.

He would make up his mind “in a day or two”, because the Congress (I) had not come out with anything concrete on the issue.

Sources close to him are firmly of the view that the Congress (I) is bent upon embarrassing the government. The BJP and the CPM are not exactly happy with the Prime Minister. It is only the CPI which has come out in the open on every issue, including early elections to the Punjab Assembly.

Article extracted from this publication >> September 28, 1990