Kesri closes in on Gujral as Laloo virtually splits JD

As the Bihar chief minister's supporters boycotted the Janata Dal presidential election and announced that a parallel convention of the party would be held on Saturday, Kesri told a meeting of state Congress chiefs that the political system was collapsing and the country was clamouring for Congress leadership.

However, despite the tough stand taken by the Laloo Yadav faction, the controversial presidential poll was held as scheduled on Thursday, with 70 per cent polling being reported from14 states. Barring minor incidents of skirmishes between supporters of Laloo Yadav and party working president Sharad Yadav in Patna, the poll was said to be peaceful. However, tension prevailed outside the JD headquarters at New Delhi for some time when the rivals groups raised slogans. Police had to use force to keep the supporters at bay.

With Laloo Yadav boycotting the poll, the election of Sharad Yadav as party president now seems a foregone conclusion, causing much heart-burn in the former's camp.

Addressing mediapersons in New Delhi, the Bihar chief minister said Gujral should not have participated in the election held on the basis of fake voters's list. ''It has sent wrong signals,'' he said, adding that the prime minister should have kept away from the poll to play a pivotal role in bringing about unity in the party.

On the question of his group's post-poll position towards the Gujral government, Laloo Yadav said it all depends on the prime minister. ''If he expels our ministers (three Laloo loyalists) from his Cabinet, our participation in the UF will automatically cease,'' he said.

However, contrary to the announcement made earlier, the Laloo Yadav group did not intimate Lok Sabha Speaker Purno A Sangma about its decision to form a separate party after splitting the Dal.

According to party sources, as many as 16 Lok Sabha members from Bihar and six from Karnataka and nine Rajya Sabha members boycotted the poll. Only 33 of the 146 delegates in Bihar cast their votes.

Union Textile Minister R L Jalappa, who had campaigned in Karnataka for the poll boycott, abstained from voting. Karnataka Chief Minister J H Patel intervened and ensured that all the state ministers cast their votes. Initially Deputy Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and several ministerial colleagues decided to boycott the poll. Ultimately 46 of the 61 national councillors cast their votes in the election.

Talking to mediapersons after exercising his franchise, former prime minister H D Deve Gowda said the Dal would emerge stronger in the coming days. He said there was a section of senior leaders who wanted to stall the election but such an attempt was foiled by the party workers and the Supreme Court.

As if taking the cue, an indignant Laloo Yadav said, ''I have been humiliated by the very people whom I helped to grow in the party. I have been evicted from my house and how can I remain silent).'' He said he was a victim of the conspiracy hatched by spineless people based in Delhi.

The Bihar chief minister said that he was not keen on staking his claim for the party's symbol and headquarters. ''Who is bothered about all these things?... People are with us. They will decide who constitute the party.''

However, Gujral indicated to mediapersons that the party will not split. Endorsing this view was JD leader Mohan Prakash, who told Rediff On The NeT: ''Laloo Yadav is now willing to swallow his pride and thrash out a compromise averting a split in the party.''

In another development, Laloo Yadav's supporters approached the Lok Sabha speaker informing him of their decision to revoke Maneka Gandhi's suspension from the party.

Tara Shankar Sahay, UNI