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 Sunday.

The search speeded up after Congress president Sitaram Kesri submitted a letter to President Shankar Dayal Sharma on Friday morning pledging his party's support to the UF if they pick a different leader.

Front spokesperson S Jaipal Reddy said the UF is likely to install its government with outside support from the Congress before the special parliamentary session begins on Monday.

UF leaders, who are confident of forming the government again, dismissed the Bharatiya Janata Party's plea to the President that the 13-party coalition should not be given another chance as the UF government had already lost a trust vote in the Lok Sabha on April 11. ''The BJP's position on this count is untenable,'' said Reddy.

The search for the new UF leader began after the Front's core group leaders expressed their satisfaction that Kesri had sent the letter to the President, as demanded by them.

Leaders of the UF constituents remained locked in discussion with Front convenor Nara Chandrababu Naidu and hope to reach a consensus on the new prime ministerial candidate late on Friday night or Saturday morning.

Meanwhile, Tamil Maanila Congress supremo G K Moopanar, the hot favourite to become the next prime minister, refused to comment on his chances. The selection of the new leader, he said, was a sensitive and crucial matter and any comment could hamper the process.

Asked to comment on reports that the Left parties were against him, Moopanar expressed surprise. "Mr Surjeet and several other Left leaders are my personal friends... How can they be opposed to my candidature?" he asked.

Another man in the fray, Defence Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav, said the Front would select the new leader through discussion, adding, "Please don't jump to conclusions." Yadav was returning home after a hour-long discussion with Naidu, at Andhra Pradesh Bhavan.

Another candidate for the post, Railway Minister Ram Vilas Paswan, said the selection was neither a problem nor an issue. "The issue is how to keep the Front united and run the country well," he said.