Kesri warns Gujral against anti-Congress statements

Tara Shankar Sahay in New Delhi

Congress president Sitaram Kesri has warned Prime Minister Inder Kumar Gujral against his United Front colleagues uttering anti-Congress statements which, he says, was primarily responsible for the downfall of the Deve Gowda government.

According to a senior Congress leader, Kesri expressed this view to Gujral in a telephone call soon after the latter arrived in his South Block office after paying tributes in the Lok Sabha to the late Janata Dal leader and former Orissa chief minister Biju Patnaik.

Kesri stressed that Gujral should ensure that his ministers and other Front leaders scrupulously refrain from making anti-Congress statements which were likely to upset the UF-Congress apple cart.

Gujral, the Congress leader said, assured Kesri that the UF would make no statements against the Congress, but sought an assurance that the Congress would extend unconditional support to his government. The two leaders reportedly ended their brief conversation on a cordial note.

The warning about UF leaders attacking the Congress was reiterated by Congress spokesperson Vittal N Gadgil. "The UF must realise that the time has come to forget anti-Congressism. They can run the government only with Congress co-operation. The prime minister should restrain his colleagues from making anti-Congress statements," he said.

Asked about the coordination committee to be set up for the smooth functioning of the Gujral government, Gadgil said it contained both Gujral and Kesri. There would also be a parliamentary coordination committee headed by Gujral, with five Congress members and five UF members.

Asked whether the Tamil Maanila Congress was likely to join the Congress, Gadgil said, "I don't know, I am not an astrologer."

Meanwhile, sources close to TMC parliamentary party leader N S V Chittan said most party MPs had complained to party chief G K Moopanar about the high-handed behaviour of their party colleague and former finance minister Palaniappan Chidambaram.

They alleged Chidambaram was also instrumental in scuttling Moopanar's chances of becoming prime minister, keeping in touch with DMK chief M Karunanidhi, Communist Party of India-Marxist general secretary Harkishan Singh Surjeet and Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav. They said they had urged Moopanar to stay away from the government mainly to "teach Chidambaram a lesson."

CPI-M sources said the Left is not keen on having the pro-reforms Chidambaram holding the finance minister's post again. One senior CPI-M MP said if Chidambaram stays out of the government because of the TMC party's decision, former finance minister Madhu Dandavate of the Janata Dal -- currently deputy chairman of the planning commission -- could take on the job. UF spokesman S Jaipal Reddy could take on Dandavate's job at the planning commission.