Kesri fights, his back to the wall

Tara Shankar Sahay in New Delhi

Congress president Sitaram Kesri is gathering all his resources to fend off attacks from both within his party and the United Front, and began probing afresh for a UF-Congress coalition.

A senior Congress general secretary close to Kesri said the party president met his supporters at his Purana Qila Road residence to take stock of the meeting of party MPs at Sharad Pawar's home on Saturday.

Pawar, who is the Congress leader in the Lok Sabha, had called the meeting of party MPs to discuss the political scenario after the fall of the Deve Gowda government, but many Congress MPs took the opportunity to express their displeasure with the decision to withdraw support to the government. Some Kesri loyalists also attended the meeting, but most left when the attack on the party leader became vitriolic.

Kesri said party MPs should not underestimate his political experience of more than half a century, but his marginalisation appears a matter of time. Few believe he can still put the party in a strong position again.

On Monday, the Congress Parliamentary Party executive committee at an informal meeting has expressed its solidarity with Kesri. Congress MPs critical of Kesri's leadership are expected to express their views on April 20, when the Congress parliamentary Party meets.

For now though, Pawar looks like Kesri's likely replacement. A Congress leader said Pawar was in constant touch with UF leaders like G K Moopanar, M Karunanidhi and Mulayam Singh Yadav. Clearly, the Congress leader in the Lok Sabha is keeping his options open for a possible UF-Congress coalition government without Kesri playing demolition man again. Meanwhile, Pawar continues to profess absolutely loyalty to the party president.