'Temperatures have come down from the Congress side'

Tara Shankar Sahay in New Delhi

The war of nerves between the Congress and the United Front continued for the fourth consecutive day although its spokesman S Jaipal Reddy asserted that ''temperatures had come down'' from the other side.

While the Congress appears adamant about staking its claim to form the government, the UF is preparing to face the trial of strength in the Lok Sabha on April 11.

Reddy said the UF leaders would eventually talk to Congress president Sitaram Kesri, "but the time had not yet arrived."

At the Congress headquarters, party spokesman V N Gadgil said no formal talks had begin with the UF leaders to find a compromise formula which would enable both parties to reach common ground. Gadgil and Reddy's statements made it evident that the Congress and UF are still locked in a war of nerves and both sides are waiting to see which one will give in first.

The CPI-M Politburo, which met on Wednesday and will meet again on Thursday, has resolved to rally behind H D Deve Gowda's leadership. The Politiburo is understood to have noted that it would be unwise to associate with a Congress government.

With both the Congress and the UF sticking to their rigid positions, the informal talks between its leaders is apparently trying to reach a meeting point which would be a facesaver to both sides.

While a senior Congress official says the matter could be resolved with Deve Gowda making way for another UF leader, the Front has rejected such a demand.

The BJP on its part maintains it will not allow any constitutional crisis to arise in the power struggle between the Congress and the UF. The party's reported statement that it will participate in the debate on April 11, but perhaps abstain from the vote indicates that it is keeping its cards close to its chest.