MUMBAI, June 13: A solution continued to evade the PDF decision to reconsider promised support to the Congress for the June 18 biennial Rajya Sabha and Council election as a high-level meeting to be held today between Sharad Pawar and Janata Dal leaders was adjourned since JD General Secretary Bapu Kaldate was unable to reach the city.PDF leaders had cried foul over the candidature of Pawar aide Arun Mehta for the Council polls.
``Since Kaldate and Janata Dal leader Mrinal Gore were not present, no decision could be taken at the meeting. Now it has been decided to meet just before the elections,'' Janata Dal legislator Vyankappa Patki told The Indian Express.
Patki said the constituents of the Progressive Democratic Front - Janata Dal, Peasants and Workers Party and CPM with a total membership of 19, will meet on Wednesday to take a final decision on the stand of the PDF in the ensuing biennial elections. ``We have sought the support of the Congress for our nominee Gangadhar Patne in theLegislative Council elections, while we have not fielded any one for the Rajya Sabha polls,'' Patki added. Replying to a question, Patki said the main aim of the PDF constituents is to defeat communal parties and strengthen progressive and secular forces in the biennial elections.
``We will not take any decision that will help the Shiv Sena and BJP,'' Patki said. During the preliminary talks between the Congress and PDF members last month, it was agreed that the PDF would support the Congress nominee for the Rajya elections, while the Congress will extend its support for the PDF candidate in the council elections, according to a senior PDF member.
``Against such an undertaking, we were surprised when Arun Mehta filed his nomination papers for the Council polls. We were expecting that Pawar will ask him to withdraw from the fray. However, he is now an independent candidate. We feel that it was improper on the part of the Congress to allow Mehta to contest the election. It was clear breach of understandingreached earlier,'', the PDF leader added. Under such circumstances, the PDF will have to reconsider its earlier decision to extend support to Congress nominee or an Independent sponsored by it, he pointed out.
Cong to prop up "Independent" Mehta
The Maharashtra Congress today declared that Pawar loyalist Arun Mehta would contest the Legislative Council polls as an Independent, MPCC chief Ranjit Deshmukh announced here. In an obvious attempt to quell the voices of dissent within the party for not taking action against Mehta even though he did not withdraw his nomination, the party claimed that Mehta had tendered his resignation much before filing his nomination papers.Now, Mehta will fight as an ``Independent'' candidate propped up by the Congress, Deshmukh said. The party hopes to push through Mehta's election with the support of at least 24 Independents who had worked for the party during the Lok Sabha elections and the just concluded by-elections to the Assembly. Deshmukh also hinted that theparty might be able to secure the support of some Shiv Sainiks, particularly those allied to rebel leader Ganesh Naik and the BJP, to help its Independents through.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
