New Delhi, Mar 12: The Congress party on Thursday deferred the Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) leader's election to March 16, giving some lease of life to party president Sitaram Kesri. The election was earlier scheduled for March 14. The decision to defer the CPP election was taken following a demand to this effect by some party MPs who said they would be away to their constituencies during the Holi festival. The postponement of the CPP leader's election, however, has brought in its wake a ticklish problem in the minds of party MPs. What if president KR Narayanan chooses to invite the Congress as the second largest party in view of the goings on in the BJP and allies?The president can only write to the leader of the party asking him to explain his position on government formation. Since the Congress has yet to elect its leader formally, the situation could turn dicey, party MPs argue.
The Congress MPs were taking keen interest in what was happening in the BJP camp. Not surprisingly, their leaders appeared to be in touch with the AIADMK on a constant basis. Sharad Pawar, it is learnt, had also not lost touch with his erstwhile colleague Mamata Banerjee and TDP leader Chandrababu Naidu who can play crucial role in this situation. The announcement of CPP poll postponement was made by AICC general secretary Oscar Fernandes this evening with the concurrence of Sitaram Kesri. By all accounts, holding of the CPP poll is likely to be the last official duty of Kesri as the party president.
Significantly, the CPP leader's election had virtually immobilised the party apparatus with moves and counter moves from rival groups to push their candidates for the leader's post. Sharad Pawar, Madhavrao Scindia, K.Karunakaran, Rajesh Pilot et al -- figure in the undisclosed list of names for the CPP leader's post even as Sonia Gandhi continued to keep mum on her choice. This has heightened the suspense both among the contenders as also their followers. No leader is willing to risk open his mouth on the subject publicly for fear of a possible backlash.
Journalists covering the party have had the taste of the suspense for the past two days. The briefing hall at the party's headquarters at 24 Akbar Road remained locked with none to guide the reporters. None of the half a dozen odd spokespersons appointed during the campaign days could be located anywhere near the party office. Any available party leader, present or past, is enough for the waiting journalists to pounce upon. So it happened with defeated Congress leader Salman Khursheed on Wednesday. The prodding yielded little. Khursheed had nothing to share. Santosh Mohan Dev, another defeated leader, sensing embarrassment chose not to alight from his car outside the party office.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
