CALCUTTA, JULY 2: The Congress had already responded to the pressures coming from various political groupings, and in the event of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led coalition's collapse, ``we can form an alternative Government with like-minded parties,'' P A Sangma said here today.Sangma, a Congress Working Committee member, was replying to a question on how the Congress would respond in the event of the BJP-led Government's collapse. He said: ``If collapse of the BJP-led coalition Government imposes the responsibility on the Congress to avoid mid-term election, we would respond to the situations,'' Sangma told reporters after attending a seminar organised by the Bharat Chamber of Commerce here today.
He said in such a situation he would like to have less number of like-minded parties to form a Government so that ``we can work with perfect understanding and coordination.'' He however ruled out Congress hastening the collapse of Vajpayee Government, saying that ``actually we want the Government tocontinue.'' Explaining his point, he said: ``If this Government continues, we get more time to rejuvenate our organisation. It is proved that once you take charge of running a government, the party is neglected.''
On the issue of his party backing a front, Sangma, who also heads the party's recently formed task force, said personally he would not like the Congress to extend support from outside to any front. ``For its proved that unless a major party is put to head a coalition government it cannot work,'' Sangma said.
When he was told that the present coalition is headed by a major political party, he said that ``the BJP had no experience of running a Government'' and claimed that only the Congress has this experience in the country.
He said the AIADMK was not the major problem for the BJP-led coalition. He felt the internal differences surfacing within the BJP poses a major threat to the Government.
Ellaborating his point he said, ``the Prime Minister doesn't seem to be the incharge of theGovernment, but the Home Minister.''
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.