CHENNAI, May 1: The Tamil Maanila Congress (TMC) may be back where it was 10 days ago, but it has used the period to score a few political points and transmit important signals at both the Central and State levels.

By firmly reiterating that the Congress should join the UF Government, the TMC has indicated that it will not be cowed down by the Left, which had not only strongly opposed the idea but also opposed Moopanar's prime ministerial candidature. Moreover, the TMC has made it clear that the decision to rejoin was taken despite strong reservations and opposition from within party rank and file.

Built into Moopanar's statement on Tuesday was the distinct message that the decision was taken not for the TMC's own sake, but that of the nation's.

In keeping Gujral's Government waiting uncomfortably for 10 days, during which the TMC revelled in playing the role of a passionately wooed maiden, the party has also insured itself against criticism that it was hungry for power. ``Were the decision taken earlier, people would have said we were desperate to return,'' admitted a TMC leader.

Clearly, the seemingly circuitous three-step route taken to reconsider its decision to pull out of the UF Government was a planned exercise. (The TMC's parliamentary party had referred the decision to the executive which, in turn, referred it to Moopanar who consulted partymen all over again before announcing the party's return.)

The TMC leadership was fully aware of the feelings of party workers before referring the decision to the executive, a broad-based body largely comprising State-level partymen. Most of them were strongly participating at the Centre, mainly because they felt that the DMK had scuttled Moopanar's prime ministerial chances.

By bringing the TMC executive into play, the leadership tacitly permitted the one-point agenda to be linked to another issue, whether or not the alliance with the DMK should continue. The executive, where the issue of the DMK's alleged betrayal was raked up, was used to send a clear signal that the TMC cannot be taken for granted by the ruling party. Also, that ``constructive opposition'' the TMC's political plank in Tamil Nadu no longer means the politics of cooperation. Now that the TMC is back at the Centre, their MLAs may not attack the DMK with the intensity witnessed in the TN Assembly over the last few days. But it is likely that they will be far more outspoken than they were over the last year. However, with no election round the corner, the TMC leadership sees no reason to precipitate a break with the DMK at this juncture.

The TMC wanted, at all costs, to avoid the impression that it was being churlish because its leader had lost out in the prime ministerial sweepstakes. This was an important reason for Moopanar deciding to rejoin the government.

Moreover, the TMC did not want to stand accused of undermining the stability of the Gujral government. Ironically, the imminent prosecution of Laloo Prasad Yadav which some TMC leaders believed could have serious repercussions at the Centre only firmed up Moopanar's resolve to rejoin the government.

Apparently, he felt that if Yadav's prosecution leads to the sudden fall of Gujral government, then the TMC would be blamed all the more if it chose to stay out.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.