NEW DELHI, March 30: Chances of the return of a politician to the Congress after Sonia Gandhi became party president brightened today following Tamil Maanila Congress (TMC) chief GK Moopanar's announcement that he would "consider rejoining" the party he was expelled from should such an "invitation come from the Congress high command".Moopanar said this in Chennai after announcing his decision to quit the TMC presidency owning moral responsibility for the party's poor showing in the recent Lok Sabha elections. The dramatic announcement triggered off activity in the Congress where the mood is upbeat at the likelihood of Moopanar coming home.
When contacted, a top All India Congress Committee (AICC) leader said tonight: "Who doesn't want Moopanar to return? He is liked by everyone (in the Congress) and is highly respected. It was most unfortunate that he was forced to leave the Congress."
An invitation to Moopanar to return is likely to be sent soon after the April 6 special AICC session here which willratify Sonia's election as party president.
Apparently, Sonia has indicated that she would first like her presidency to be officially ratified after which "several important" decisions will be taken. Some days ago Sonia had said there would be "lots of new faces" in the Congress soon. Should Moopanar return to the party, he is likely to be made a Congress Working Committee (CWC) member.
Moopanar was expelled by former Congress president PV Narasimha Rao after he formed the TMC in protest against Congress tie-up with Jayalalitha's All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) in the 1996 Lok Sabha poll. That was the first blow to the Congress and it set off a trend of leaders forming regional outfits by quitting the Congress.
It also altered the political equations in Tamil Nadu and the TMC-DMK combine swept to power in the State elections. Moopanar's statement is the farthest he can go on rejoining the Congress before a formal invitation comes his way. He has excellent relations withSonia.
However, it is not clear to what extent he will be accommodated in the Congress at this point. Either the TMC and the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) could have a "working arrangement" or the TMC would fully rejoin the Congress. Either way it creates problems for the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) Government in Tamil Nadu, already a target of the AIADMK's offensive.Moopanar met Sonia a few days ago and "greeted" her on becoming the party president and Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) leader. "I don't know what TNCC president KV Thangkabalu had in mind when he gave the call for unity of Congress forces in Tamil Nadu. I need to know the details," Moopanar said in Chennai today, adding, "until the matter is taken up by the central leadership of the Congress, I have no comments."
In any case, Sonia is planning a thorough revamp of the Congress hierarchy starting with the CWC. "The rethink is at a very serious level," a top Congress leader said today.
The immediate fallout of this policyreview is that two Sonia faithfuls -- Arjun Singh and ML Fotedar -- will find it tough to get into Parliament's Upper House as was initially planned by them. Both are keen to contest from Madhya Pradesh but doubts have arisen about it after cross-voting in the party led to losses in the Rajya Sabha elections.
Also, some of the current CWC members could be replaced including the elected ones. The CWC now has 10 elected members: Jitendra Prasada, Ahmed Patel, Madhavrao Scindia, Pranab Mukherjee, RK Dhawan, Tariq Anwar, Arjun Singh, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Sharad Pawar and Kotla Vijaya Bhaskara Reddy. AK Antony, Meira Kumar, Manmohan Singh, JB Patnaik, Lalthanwala are among the nominated ones.
Indications are that Sonia could replace Anwar, Mukherjee and Dhawan. "She will stress on accountability," a party leader said. For example, Orissa Chief Minister JB Patnaik, who led the party to a virtual debacle in the State in the recent elections, could be in trouble.
Patnaik holds three positions now: CWC member, PCCpresident and Chief Minister, the only one in the Congress to do so. He is likely to lose one, maybe two posts going by available indications. Elected CWC members have a term of two years, meaning the current lot can technically remain in office till August 1999.
But moves are on to get the elected CWC members to resign and allow Sonia to have a fresh body. At least two CWC members considered close to Sonia are toying with this plan of action as not resigning would force Sonia to convert the elected ones to nominated ones (like Narasimha Rao did in 1992).
All this will take place after the AICC session. Meanwhile, Sonia will address a CPP general body meeting tomorrow in Parliament's central hall in the morning. It is slated as a routine end of a session meeting but it is the last CPP meeting before the AICC session.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
