Efforts on to persuade TMC to join Gujral government

The United Front's efforts to persuade the Tamil Maanila Congress back into the ruling coalition's fold continued for the third day on Monday. UF convener Nara Chandrababu Naidu said the Front may still succeed in getting TMC president G K Moopanar to revoke his decision.

Apart from Prime Minister Inder Kumar Gujral, leaders such as West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu have been in touch with Moopanar, Naidu said before flying back to Hyderabad.

''We expect a positive reply from Moopanarji in the interests of the nation, the National Front and the Federal Front,'' Naidu said.

Others who have been trying to persuade Moopanar are Communist Party of India-Marxist Politburo member Sitaram Yechuri and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi.

The Confederation of Indian Industry, which has a special interest in the Budget presented by TMC member and the finance minister in the Deve Gowda government, Palaniappan Chidambaram, has also been in touch with Moopanar, Naidu revealed.

It is not known if Chidambaram will pilot the Finance Bill in Parliament. Earlier, Front spokesman S Jaipal Reddy said he was confident that Chidambaram will still be piloting the Finance Bill in the Lok Sabha.

Meanwhile, Moopanar said any decision to review the TMC's stand of not joining the Gujral government could be taken only by his party colleagues.

He conveyed this to Karunanidhi when the DMK leader called on him on Sunday night and urged the TMC chief to review his party's stand. The DMK and TMC are electoral allies in Tamil Nadu.

DMK sources said Moopanar did not concede Karunanidhi's request to join Gujral's Cabinet, but said he would discuss the matter with other TMC colleagues.

Revealing the process that led to Gujral being chosen UF leader and Moopanar losing out, Naidu said during the first round of his one-on-talks with Front leaders on Friday, he had prepared a list of their priorities. Later, during the second round of discussions on Saturday, the probable names were shortlisted. Finally, he said, Gujral's name emerged as the consensus candidate.