Deve Gowda-Laloo war puts Gujral in a spot
Tara Shankar Sahay in New Delhi
Prime Minister Inder Kumar Gujral's first political
crisis looms large. It involves the battle between his Janata Dal colleagues,
H D Deve Gowda and Laloo Prasad Yadav.
After ensuring that Deve Gowda's new-found protege Devendra
Prasad Yadav was kept out of
Gujral's ministry, Laloo Yadav has begun a campaign in the
United Front's ranks to ensure that the former prime minister
is not given any position in the 13-party United Front.
Two senior UF leaders on Tuesday confirmed to
this correspondent that the prime minister was concerned about
the way Laloo Yadav is flaunting his muscle not only in
the Janata Dal, but also in the Front, a cause of irritation
for its senior leaders.
On Monday evening, Laloo Yadav called
a meeting of JD MPs from Bihar and told them there
was a move to marginalise him in the party. He said those who owed their political
existence to his munificence were now conspiring against
him in league with political lightweights who had got what they
deserved.
This was an ill-concealed reference to Deve Gowda who is said
to have wooed Devendra Prasad Yadav for the purpose of
seeking Laloo Yadav's ouster as Bihar chief minister.
Gujral is now in touch with other Front
leaders in a bid to defuse the rising tensions between the former
prime minister and the Bihar CM.
According to the two UF leaders quoted earlier, most Front leaders
have started resenting Laloo Yadav's
belligerence. UF convener Nara
Chandrababu Naidu recently advised Laloo Yadav
against escalating his battle with Deve Gowda, but
is said to have been rebuffed by the Bihar chief minister.
Devendra Prasad Yadav's exclusion from the government
has only heightened the tensions between Deve Gowda and Laloo
Yadav. While the Bihar chief minister continues issuing one
barb after another against the former premier, Deve Gowda
is reported to fashioning his strategy before hitting out against
Laloo Yadav. As the war of attrition continues, an apprehensive
Gujral is keeping his fingers crossed.
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