NEW DELHI, July 20: After having bailed out Bihar Chief Minister Laloo Prasad Yadav from crisis, the Congress is now trying to save its face by seeking Laloo's resignation.

Though the call may have come a bit too late in the day, at least Congress president Sitaram Kesri put it on record that Laloo must step down in the best traditions of democracy. Kesri was hitherto loathe to make this kind of a statement, as he sees Laloo as a future ally in the chaos of coalition politics in the country.

Kesri's volte-face

Kesri had made a similar request to Laloo when the Bihar Chief Minister consulted him before seeking the vote-of-confidence. Kesri's formula was that Laloo should step down and choose his nominee to replace him as Chief Minister. Kesri felt this would allow the Congress some space on the issue of corruption.

Laloo, who won his vote-of-confidence after splitting the Janata Dal (JD), is under great pressure to step down and allow things to calm down in the 14-party United Front (UF), whose main ally is the Congress. Curiously, Laloo has had an effect on almost all important political parties in the country and everybody has now been drawn into the debate on his future.The Congress has also been affected. No party believes the Congress line that it is against communalism and corruption and, therefore, had to abstain from voting in the Bihar Assembly.

It is probably in this background that Kesri made the latest remark on Laloo in a TV interview last night. Already there are at least two interpretations regarding Kesri's remark.

A senior Congress leader said here today that Kesri's remark should be seen as a sign that Laloo may eventually step down. ``Kesri is a shrewd man and he probably sees what is coming. You should keep in mind that the Patna High Court is to decide on Laloo's bail plea,'' he said.

However, another school of thought in the party sees Kesri's late ``waking up'' as an attempt to distance himself from the murky air surrounding the Congress' attitude towards Laloo. ``Anybody seen as supporting Laloo at this juncture will have dirtied his hands. And Kesri already has enough to explain,'' said a member of the erstwhile Congress Wording Committee (CWC), who is now not close to Kesri.

However, every move of the Congress president is being watched carefully. One issue of topical interest where Kesri holds the key is in the choice of the next Vice-President. The UF has authorised Front convenor Chandrababu Naidu to talk to Kesri.

Yesterday, Pranab Mukherjee, whose name was also floated as a possible nominee, said the final decision rested with the party president. ``He will decide the name and convey it to the UF,'' Mukherjee said. With nine days to go for the last day for filing of nominations, there are no clear indications yet as to who will emerge as the consensus choice.

Rajya Sabha vice-chairperson Najma Heptulla, Rajasthan Governor Baliram Bhagat, Congress leaders Pranab Mukherjee and Margaret Alva and former Lok Sabha Speaker Rabi Ray all figure in the scheme of things.

Today Ray denied that anybody had spoken to him on the matter as yet. ``I have been reading the newspapers where there is some speculation. I was in Calcutta for the last five days and no one has yet met me on this issue, either from the UF, LF or the Congress. All are my friends,'' he said.

When asked about it, Communist Party of India-Marxist general secretary Harkishan Singh Surjeet said no decision had been taken by his party yet.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.