New Delhi, Mar 12: President KR Narayanan has decided to hold discussions with the Congress and the United Front, too, in a swift turn of events at the political capital. Earlier in the day, BJP's prime-minister designate, AB Vajpayee, furnished documents which proved the support of 240 members in the Lok Sabha, following a deadlock in securing the backing of its electoral ally, AIADMK.A late-night communique issued by Rashtrapati Bhavan said while the process of consultation with the BJP would continue, the president would also hold discussions with leaders of other political formations such as the Congress and the UF.
The communique came soon after BJP leader Atal Behari Vajpayee's meeting with the president where he he submitted documents proving the support of only 240 members in the Lok Sabha. Vajpayee also told the president that talks with AIADMK had not so far yielded any result.
Asked about the president's reaction, Vajpayee said Narayanan told him that he would consider everything and let his decision be known by Saturday. Vajpayee said there was no question of succumbing to any pressure for giving the finance portfolio to AIADMK as demanded by that party.
In reply to a volley of questions regarding the hitches, Vajpayee admitted that it related to constitution of the ministry.
The list of 240 MPs handed over by Vajpayee included 228 MPs of the party and its pre-poll allies and 12 post-poll allies.
In Chennai, Jayalalitha said neither the dismissal of the DMK regime in Tamil Nadu nor allotment of specific portfolios to persons of her choice was a pre-condition for extending support to a BJP-led coalition. Talking to some private television channels at her residence, she said the AIADMK had wanted certain issues central to the interests of Tamil Nadu to be incorporated in the common national agenda for the new government. However, the BJP was showing a `negative attitude' to this demand, and hence the delay in giving its letter of support, Jayalalitha said.
"I am in touch with both LK Advani and AB Vajpayee, and discussions are still continuing."
Sources, however, claimed that she is demanding the finance portfolio for Janata Party leader Subramaniam Swamy and law and justice for Rajiv Congres leader V Ramamurthy. The hitch was was confirmed by Swamy who said, "The imbroglio had been created by BJP's refusal to give ministership to him and Ramamurthy." He was silent about the portfolios. Sources said at her first meeting with Vajpayee, Jayalalitha had suggested that the finance portfolio be bifurcated with a senior minister looking after the general budget, IMF, World Bank, Asian Development Bank and so on and the junior minister heading banking, insurance, customs, revenue and excise departments. She offered to settle for the junior finance ministership, and cited a precedent. During Indira Gandhi's rule, Pranab Mukherjee had been banking minister under C Subramaniam heading the finance ministry. The enforcement directorate, which deals with economic offences, incidentally, comes under the revenue department.
BJP president LK Advani had taken a tough posture in his telephonic talks with Jayalalitha last night. Advani told her that the BJP could withdraw the claim it had made before the President than being pressurised to accept any unprincipled demand.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
