Kesri urged to summon CPP meet before trust vote

Tara Shankar Sahay in New Delhi

Senior members of the Congress Parliamentary Party have urged Sitaram Kesri to convene a general body meeting before the United Front government faces its vote of confidence on April 11.

One party official told Rediff On The NeT that about a hundred Congress MPs had submitted a memorandum to Kesri on Sunday, urging him to divulge his strategy following the UF government's perceived downfall after the vote of confidence. These MPs have warned Kesri that his failure to do so might result a split in the CPP which should be avoided.

Kesri has, however, indicated that he was firm in his resolve that Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda should be replaced if the Congress were to continue supporting the Front.

Meanwhile, Congress leaders A K Antony, K Karunakaran and Sharad Pawar called on CPI-M general secretary Harkishan Singh Surjeet on Monday. They also met Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu. Later, External Affairs Minister Inder Kumar Gujral met Kesri to persuade him to tone down his stance about Deve Gowda's replacement.

These meeting are part of the efforts from both the Congress and UF sides to break the deadlock which is threatening to dislodge the Union ministry.

Even as UF spokesman S Jaipal Reddy maintained that the 13-party ruling coalition stood firmly behind Deve Gowda's leadership one indication has emerged that desperate UF leaders might have second thoughts about the prime minister.

A Janata Dal MP claimed that the UF standing committee had recently asked West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu to reconsider his earlier decision regarding the prime ministership but the matter was shot down by Surjeet who pointed out that the CPI-M was not in favour of joining the UF government.

Even as the conciliatory talks are going on to find a solution, the UF is also exploring which of its leaders could replace Deve Gowda. Three chief ministers -- Naidu, Assam CM Prafulla Mahanta and Tamil Nadu CM M Karunanidhi -- are among those being mentioned as likely replacements for the prime minister.