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Gujral's anti-dissolution stand stems from UF's designs

Tara Shankar Sahay in New Delhi

Prime Minister Inder Kumar Gujral's resignation letter, submitted last night to President K R Narayanan, did not recommend dissolution of the Lok Sabha as the United Front seems keen on installing another non-Congress, non-Bharatiya Janata Party government.

Sources at the Front headquarters on Akbar Road in New Delhi hinted that Gujral may have told Narayanan that the possibility of forming such a government -- without the DMK -- should be explored.

As Congress chief Sitaram Kesri is unlikely to persuade the UF constituents to help him form a government, he could go along with the UF strategy for two reasons. First, following the withdrawal of Congress support to Gujral, the Congress chief's leadership is at stake.

Second, Kesri is apprehensive that, even if the BJP is unable to seize power during the 11th Lok Sabha, the party could win sufficient seats in the next general election and form a government.

Both the UF and the Congress dread such an eventuality, and this appears to have given rise to a secret Gujral-Kesri understanding that another secular, non-BJP government should be formed.

Significantly, Gujral was not present yesterday at Rashtrapati Bhavan, when UF leaders had to face a volley of questions from the media about the prime minister's failure to recommend the Lok Sabha dissolution. The UF leaders deftly skirted the issue.

For Kesri, it is a do-or-die battle. With his party's efforts to form a Congress-led government being ridiculed in political circles and the UF constituents unlikely to renege on the 'avoid Congress' stand because of the electoral backlash, the party seems to be in dire straits.

Hence, in order to prevent the Congress MPs from crossing over to the BJP, Kesri and his senior party colleagues are indulging in an exercise which is chiefly geared to convey an impression that the leadership is making a serious bid for power. Thus, even if another secular government is formed, Kesri would not have much cause to celebrate.

The Congress chief appears to be a victim of his own designs at a time when the spectre of elections stares the party in its face.

At the same time, it is learnt, the Congress chief has asked Tamil Maanila Congress chief G K Moopanar to sound out his UF coalition partners about forming a secular government.

It is understood that the second rung of Congress leadership, including Kesri's potential rivals like Sharad Pawar, Arjun Singh and Jitendra Prasada, have begun contacting each other for a solitary purpose -- seizing the mantle from Kesri if he fails to deliver the goods in the present crisis.

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