THE CONGRESS CRISIS

The squabbles begin...
Congress and United Front leaders battle over the conditions and terms of the coordination committee.
... More

APRIL 23

My Brother Inder
Satish Gujral, the celebrated painter-sculptor, reveals what his brother is really like.
... More

Gujral wins vote of confidence, easily
The prime minister makes an impressive debut in Parliament.
... More

Deve Gowda-Laloo war puts Gujral in a spot
The prime minister has sought the assistance of United Front leaders to end the battle.
... More

New govt will not last long: Namboodiripad
"There is no guarantee the Congress will not adopt the same tricks it employed to bring down Deve Gowda," the CPI-M patriarch said.
... More

With Gujral's selection the Congress has been denied a convenient target
Saisuresh Sivaswamy on the prime minister and the Congress party.
... More

Chandrababu Naidu remains an enigma
He can be an ominous foe, but is he a good friend? There is something in his slightly wide-eyed but blank look that stops people from probing too deep.
... More

History will portray Gujral as a rose thrown on a dungheap of opportunistic political splinters
K N Rao predicts the future for the new government.
... More

APRIL 22

Good news for Reforms!
Inder Gujral refuses to give the finance portfolio to the CPI, hopes P Chidambaram will return. A special session of Parliament has been called from April 30 to pass Chidambaram's Budget, the government announced on Monday.
... More

Gujral retains all but one of Deve Gowda's ministers
The prime minister plans to expand his council of ministers by May 10.
... More

Kesri warns Gujral against anti-Congress statements
The prime minister assured Kesri that the United Front would make no statements against the Congress, but sought an assurance that the Congress would extend unconditional support to his government.
... More

Efforts still on to persuade TMC to join Gujral govt
Prime Minister Inder Gujral, West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu are among the many leaders involved in getting G K Moopanar to change his mind.
... More

Devendra Yadav dropped at Laloo's instance
The Bihar chief minister turned against his protege when he discovered that Devendra Yadav aspired to replace him in Patna if he was chargesheeted in the fodder scam.
... More

Kesri's calls to Moopanar spread distrust in United Front about TMC leader
A senior UF leader admitted that some of his colleagues had confronted Moopanar over Kesri's telephone calls.
... More

Ayya, the man who lost out
Shobha Warrier profiles Tamil Maanila Congress leader G K Moopanar.
... More

A government by consensus, promises Gujral
"I don't think anything can be built on anti-isms," says the prime minister.
... More

DMK, TMC allies for now, but for how long?
G K Moopanar is seeking a popular reason to part company with the DMK, one that will work with votera.
... More

If Gujral was always soft-spoken, he could be firm as steel
Janardan Thakur on the prime minister's character.
... More

Gujral will be a unique experiment in the chief executive's post
Saisuresh Sivaswamy thinks Gujral is the man for all the wrong reasons.
... More

Gujral's fight with disgruntled parties in the 13-party coalition will become fierce
K N Rao predicts the future for the new government.
... More

APRIL 21

Yes, Prime Minister!
Inder Kumar Gujral will be sworn in as India's 12th prime minister at 1000 hours IST on Monday.
... More

Moopanar adamant about not joining United Front govt
'Though Mr Moopanar's response was not positive, I am not in the habit of taking 'no' from anyone... I will persuade him till he joins us,'' the prospective prime minister said.
... More

'I learnt more from the ten months of the Deve Gowda govt than I did in fifty years of public life'
Says Inder Kumar Gujral as he is formally elected leader of the United Front parliamentary party.
... More

Economic reforms to continue: Gujral
The likely prime minister says he is hopeful of establishing better coordination and understanding with the Congress.
... More

Parliament will convene on Monday for special session
The Budget is on the agenda. But can it be passed now that Finance Minister P Chidambaram has opted out of the government?
... More

Industry will be disappointed if Chidambaram is not finance minister
Industry leaders hope the Budget and the Finance Bill will be passed by Parliament, retaining its essence, even if Chidambaram is not at the finance ministry.
... More

Cracks appear in DMK-TMC alliance over Moopanar's decision
TMC leaders believe DMK leader and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi did not adequately back Moopanar in the UF leadership race.
... More

APRIL 20

It's Gujral!
The search for Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda's successor took many tortuous turns, but in the end the external affairs minister emerged as the consensus candidate.
... More

TMC pulls out of government!
In protest against the manner in which G K Moopanar was denied the prime minister's post, the party has decided only to support the United Front government from outside.
... More

High drama and political cunning mark Gujral's selection
The Left parties played a stellar role in denying G K Moopanar the prime minister's post.
... More

'I will give the country a clean government'
Inder Gujral tells his first press conference after his selection as UF leader.
... More

'I bow to the people of India in humility'
Inder Gujral has long shown that his disarming charm conceals a quiet inflexibility when the case demands it.
... More

Kesri happy with Gujral's selection
Asked whom the Congress would have preferred as the new leader between G K Moopanar and Gujral, Kesri replied he might have welcomed Moopanar's selection as the UF leader.
... More

BJP wants President to resolve political impasse by Monday
Failing which the party would not be obliged to ensure the smooth transaction of financial business during the special three day session of the Lok Sabha.
... More

Moopanar still a Congress MP!
Was that the reason why the Tamil Maanila Congress leader lost out in the race to become prime minister?
... More

We should review the Constitution or else, we will continue to be in this mess
Former Union finance minister C Subramaniam prescribes solutions for the national crisis.
... More

Our leaders have exposed themselves to be power hungry pygmies who do not have the courage to face the electorate
V C Bhaskaran reviews the United Front drama of replacing its leader.
... More

Kesri jo kehta hai karta nahin, aur jo karta hai kehta nahin
Rajiv Shukla provides an insider's glimpse of Congress politics.
... More

The middle class is determined to marginalise the Congress in the next polls
Mani Shankar Aiyar on the era of coalitions.
... More

Any which way, Kesri comes on top
Saisuresh Sivaswamy's commentary on the political drama in Delhi.
... More

APRIL 19

'Moopanar is a good
manager of men
Cho Ramaswamy maps the road ahead for Indian politics.
... More

United Front plans to form next government by Sunday
The search for Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda's successor gained momentum as the United Front declared its intentions of forming a new government by the weekend.
... More

Congress sends President a letter, pledging support to a UF government
On the condition that the Front elects a new leader, of course.
... More

Kesri's letter beats Left parties into line
The United Front is ready to accept Congress support, but it has no intention of going in for a coalition with it.
... More

Vajpayee urges President to call for fresh polls
''The Congress-United Front combine will not be able to provide a stable government; so they should be advised to seek a fresh mandate,'' the former prime minister told the President.
... More

'We want an assurance from the Congress that this government lasts for a longer time'
Commerce Minister B B Ramaiah tells the Rediff Chat.
... More

Right from the day JP made him Janata Party president, Chandra Shekhar has fancied himself as the only man to make an authentic prime minister of India
Janardan Thakur on the wily Old Turk's gambit.
... More

Saving the Budget was thought to be such a national
necessity that short-circuiting the Constitution was
regarded as no sin
Ashok Mitra on why the Budget should not be passed.
... More

APRIL 18

Collision Course
The Congress and the Left parties appear set for a clash over the next United Front government.
... More

Congress and UF continue informal talks
The Left digs in its heels on the withdrawal of letter issue.
... More

'The BJP does not find the same hostility to us as there was 10 months ago'
Bharatiya Janata Party leader K R Malkani explains his party's position on the ongoing political crisis.
... More

'I honestly believe that Dr Tanwar's case weighed with Kesriji when he gave the letter to the Rashtrapatiji'
A R Antulay tells the Rediff Chat.
... More

Deve Gowda mishandled ties with Congress: Indrajit Gupta
That is why the United Front has now proposed an ''institutionalised machinery'' to Congress leaders, for better coordination in future, says the home minister.
... More

'God and the Congress have spoiled everything'
A pall of gloom has descended over Hardanahalli, caretaker Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda's native village.
... More

When Rahu enters the mind, politicians walk on their head
K N Rao predicts the immediate future for the body politic.
... More

APRIL 17

A Change of Heart
The Congress may join the United Front government, especially if G K Moopanar succeeds H D Deve Gowda as UF leader.
... More

Left wants Congress to give six month assurance to United Front government
These leaders feel the UF should take Sitaram Kesri's commitments with a pinch of salt because they think he is an opportunist who will not hesitate to again pull down the government when it suits him.
... More

'Why should I be scared of the BJP?'
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu tells Rediff On The NeT, in an expansive interview.
... More

'The UF has forfeited its right to form the government'
BJP vice-president Krishan Lal Sharma tells the Rediff Chat.
... More

The President has made 'closed room' deals possible -- all in the name of saving the Budget!
T V R Shenoy on the week's political developments.
... More

The night of the long knives
Varsha Bhosle on Friday's parry-and-thrust in Parliament.
... More

Pawar's timing for taking on Kesri is not right
Saisuresh Sivaswamy's daily commentary on the political drama in Delhi.
... More

'Rahul Gandhi will come into the limelight soon and rescue the Congress'
Hyderabad astrologers predict the immediate future for the body politic.
... More

APRIL 16

The Frontrunner
G K Moopanar is H D Deve Gowda's likely successor as United Front leader.
... More

BJP refuses to pass Budget
The party says the new United Front government must present a fresh Budget.
... More

Removing Deve Gowda does not mean "succumbing to Kesri's pressure:" UF
Top United Front leaders are now studying the political implications of the Congress Working Committee resolution to support the Front under a new leader.
... More

'It was a self-destructive and a suicidal move. Kesri must quit'
Senior Congress leader A R Antulay tells Rediff On The NeT, in an expansive interview.
... More

Congress to withdraw letter to President
The Congress Working Commitee says its letter staking a claim to form the government was to prevent the Bharatiya Janata Party from exploiting the vacuum following the fall of the United Front government.
... More

'During the negotiations the Congress insisted the UF extend support for forming a government'
CPI-M general secretary Harkishan Singh Surjeet lets fly at the Congress.
... More

Nation wants mid-term election, Vajpayee as PM: opinion poll
Half the respondents in a nationwide opinion poll prefer a mid-term poll, with supporters of the Bharatiya Janata Party more keen than others for fresh elections.
... More

Deve Gowda's exit will ensure clear passage for Budget
Saisuresh Sivaswamy's commentary on the latest political developments.
... More

The new UF leader will come from south India
K N Rao predicts the immediate future for the body politic.
... More

APRIL 15

Trouble Ahead!
The Janata Dal may clash with the Federal Front over H D Deve Gowda's successor. JD leaders fear the regional bloc's machinations have diminished the chances of a senior Dal leader like External Affairs Minister Inder Kumar Gujral becoming prime minister.
... More

United Front to choose Deve Gowda's successor on April 17
The new prime minister may be sworn in on April 20 itself.
... More

Congress decides to back another United Front govt
The Congress Working Committee's offer depends on a change in the Front leadership.
... More

It would be better to have another election: Vajpayee
The BJP leader wants a Constitutional amendment to ban mid-term dissolution of Parliament
... More

BJP asks President to stop "theatre of absurd"
The party has urged President Shankar Dayal Sharma to ensure that political instability is not foisted again on the nation.
... More

BJP effort to form new front with regional parties
The party appears to be veering around to the view that coalition politics are inevitable in the nation's immediate political future.
... More

Many of the UF constituents may support BJP to avoid polls
Janardan Thakur on the latest political developments.
... More

Elections are now an unlikely scenario
Saisuresh Sivaswamy's commentary on the latest political developments.
... More

In today's fractured polity, the BJP alone satisfies the craving for a stable and strong government
Virendra Kapoor on the latest political developments.
... More

Fresh elections will not take place until February 1998
K N Rao predicts the immediate future for the body politic.
... More

APRIL 13

Kesri wants a Sacrifice!
The Congress will support the United Front to form the next government, provided H D Deve Gowda is replaced as the UF leader.
... More

The Winds of War
Congress MPs attack party president Sitaram Kesri for pulling down the Deve Gowda government. They urge Sharad Pawar to take on the leadership of the party.
... More

United Front not to support Congress or BJP
There is considerable speculation though that the Front may splinter early next week.
... More

President's experience, wisdom on trial
Does he dissolve Parliament and call a fresh election? Does he invite another leader to be prime minister? The hard choices ahead of President Shankar Dayal Sharma.
... More

BJP could wangle support in AP, TN
Things didn't quite work out in May 1996, but with an election looking imminent, there is a good chance these regional parties may move closer to the BJP.
... More

Will India have a caretaker President?
If a Lok Sabha election is delayed, Dr Shankar Dayal Sharma may have to continue as a 'caretaker' President, advising a 'caretaker' prime minister' till a new person is elected.
... More

Then arose in the country a crisis the like of which no previous President had ever faced
How President Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy tackled the first constitutional crisis in 1979.
... More

What moral logic would allow the Congress, which lost its mandate to govern, to return to office on the invitation of the President?
Venu Menon on the latest political developments.
... More

The United Front sacrifices Deve Gowda, not power
Saisuresh Sivaswamy on the latest political developments.
... More

Coalition governments have come to stay, and that's the message of the United Front experiment
N Sathiya Moorthy on the latest political developments.
... More

The Congress will never return to power if they support the UF from outside again
Rajiv Shukla on the latest political developments.
... More

The Congress stood exposed as an outfit smarting under a guilt and infirmities of its own making
V C Bhaskaran reflects on Friday's dramatic developments in the Lok Sabha.
... More

APRIL 12

Deve Gowda departs
H D Deve Gowda is voted out of office, but goes down fighting. United Front steering committee meets on Saturday.
... More

Parties reach consensus on passing Budget by April 23
The federal Budget is expected to be passed with the support of all parties at a three-day sitting of Parliament from April 21 to 23.
... More

Congress is slammed in Parliament during confidence vote debate
Kesri and Co are attacked by both the BJP and the United Front.
... More

'The old man is in such a hurry to become prime minister'
The transcript of Rediff On The NeT's commentary on the proceedings in Parliament.
... More

Panicky Front leaders contact Kesri
Finance Minister P Chidambaram is accused of playing a part in this strategy.
... More

Laloo, Mulayam fail to persuade Deve Gowda to quit
The prime minister insisted on a vote of confidence.
... More

Why the Congress didn't split
The rebels thought they did not have enough numbers to help the United Front win the vote of confidence.
... More

I can see a clear, secret understanding -- an understanding filled with unease and of short duration

K N Rao, who predicted Deve Gowda's departure on these pages two days ago, forecasts the body politic's immediate future. A forecast written at 8.42 pm on Friday, April 11.
... More

Vajpayee flays political untouchability in the garb of secularism
''India was secular, India is secular and India will remain secular,'' the former prime minister thundered
... More

APRIL 11

Showdown!
Unless there is a last minute compromise, the United Front government is set to fail the vote of confidence in Parliament on Friday.
... More

Congress issues whip to MPs to vote against UF govt
Two hours after the talks began at Sharad Pawar's home, it was clear there was no meeting ground between the two sides on the leadership issue.
... More

'We will not dissolve Parliament before the vote'
United Front spokesman S Jaipal Reddy tells Rediff Chat a few hours before the Lok Sabha convenes.
...

'Please do not see us as an ousted government today itself'
Will some Congress MPs vote according to their conscience?
... More

The night of the long knives
Saisuresh Sivaswamy on the day of reckoning.
... More

Deve Gowda suffers from an Alice in Wonderland syndrome
V C Bhaskaran comments on the political crisis.
... More

What a waning comet signifies for Deve Gowda...
Comet Hale Bopp, the 'star attraction' of the evening skies is on the wane from Thursday. Will it take the Humble Farmer with it?
... More

APRIL 10

Congress, UF falter on leadership issue
Still, the mood is optimistic. The discussions will resume on Thursday morning.
... More

Gujral joins Moopanar in race to succeed Deve Gowda
Moopanar, of course, has Sonia Gandhi's support.
... More

Congress, UF may sink differences to keep BJP at bay
As senior BJP leader Krishan Lal Sharma says his party will explore all possibilities which could put it in a 'very advantageous position'.
... More

Most of the problems with Congress because of communication gap: PM
H D Deve Gowda hopes some amicable solution will emerge from the talks between the Congress and United Front.
... More

Will the President call a mid-term poll?
If the prime minister advises him to dissolve the Lok Sabha, convention dicatates that the President does so.
... More

Summon Kesri in JMM MPs bribery case: counsel
The petition said Shailendra Mahato's confessional statement made it clear that Sitaram Kesri ''is also one of the accused who committed the same offence''
... More

Advani's acquittal has plus points for both Congress and UF
Saisuresh Sivaswamy's daily commentary on the political crisis in Delhi.
... More

Deve Gowda will have to step down as premier
K N Rao's astroforecast for the vote of confidence on Friday.
... More

APRIL 9

Look, Who's Talking!
The Congress, United Front set up committees to discuss solution to crisis.
... More

BJP wooing regional parties to form govt
So far, the DMK and the Telugu Desam have refused to be enticed by the BJP.
... More

'We do not want a mid-term poll'
Dissident Congress leader Suresh Kalmadi tells the Rediff Chat.
... More

APRIL 8

Going, going....
The United Front says Prime Minister Deve Gowda will go, but wants the Congress to support it on Friday.
... More

Kesri urged to summon CPP meet before trust vote
About a hundred party MPs have submitted a memorandum to the Congress chief demanding a meeting.
... More

BJP to decide strategy at 'last moment' on Friday
Even though the party's national executive decided to ''vote out'' the United Front government.
... More

V P Singh mediates from his sick bed
Both the UF and Congress feel only he can solve the current crisis as he is close to both parties.
... More

No truck with Congress, no way: Mulayam
The defence minister and Samajwadi Party president has ruled out a coalition with the Congress.
... More

Bank scam may kill Moopanar's chances of being PM
Though he has not been named in the Indian Bank case, there are allegations that former chairman M Gopalakrishnan was close to Moopanar.
... More

'I am challenging Moopanar. Let him go to the polls alone'
Congress leader V Ramamurthy challenges the Tamil Maanila Congress leader and likely premier to a political duel.
... More

For the third time in one year, the prime minister of India may be from a state south of the Vindhyas
Saisuresh Sivaswamy on the increasing importance of south India in national politics.
... More