Reprieve for Gujral
Tara Shankar Sahay in New Delhi
The United Front government has secured a reprieve for now.
Congress president Sitaram Kesri told a Congress Parliamentary Party meeting this morning that their views on the Jain Commission report would ascertained before the party withdraws support to the ruling coalition.
As the report on Rajiv Gandhi's assassination is an ''extremely emotional issue which could be exploited in elections'', Kesri said he preferred to play it safe. Urging the MPs to be united, the Congress chief said even a small display of dissent would affect the party's ''image''.
He said there was no question of any compromise
on the issue. ''Whatever decision is taken will be taken in the party's interest.''
The tone and tenor of Kesri's speech coupled with the Congress MPs's mood indicated that, having raked up the issue, a section of the party was now having second thoughts about withdrawing support to the United Front. This group is apprehensive that if the party hardens its stand on the Commission's report, an election would be forced on the nation.
Kesri is equally apprehensive of another group in the party which has been baying for Prime Minister Inder Kumar Gujral's blood. He feels this vocal section is ''going out of control''.
The Congress chief told an informal meeting this morning that he would ditch Gujral right away, provided Sonia Gandhi campaigns for the party in the event of an election. If this was not possible, he said he would go by the majority opinion in the party.
Kesri met Sonia Gandhi at her home yesterday.
The much-awaited meeting centered around the fallout of the
Jain Commission's report.
After the 40-minute meeting, Kesri declined to comment on what had transpired at the meeting.
Several Congress leaders, however, said that Kesri was awaiting
the UF core committee meeting's outcome to crystallise his plans on the Jain Commission report.
A senior Congress leader told Rediff On The NeTthat only 90 Congress Parliamentary Party members were present at this morning's meeting. CPP secretary H Hanumanthappa, however, asserted that 125 MPs were present.
Though the winter session of Parliament begins on Wednesday, the Jain Commission report would be tabled only the next day. Both Houses of Parliament will be adjourned on the first day after paying tributes to N V N Somu (DMK) and Chitta
Basu (Forward Bloc), Lok Sabha members who died recently.
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