Rao backs Pawar in Congress presidential poll

Tara Shankar Sahay in New Delhi

Former premier P V Narasimha Rao is clearly backing Sharad Pawar in the upcoming Congress presidential polls. This was clear when Rao aide and former party general secretary Devendra Nath Dwivedi said that party delegates should vote for the former Maharashtra chief minister.

Dwivedi, who was ousted from the post of general secretary when Sitaram Kesri became party president, issued his appeal at a press conference.

Pawar's spokesman A R Antulay conceded he accompanied Pawar to meet Rao at the latter's residence on Wednesday. The meeting lasted for over 90 minutes but all that Antulay would say about it was that Pawar and his supporters had sought Rao's blessings for the elections.

Although Antulay denied any knowledge about it, a former party MP Anadi Charan Das moved a writ petition in the Delhi high court, urging derecognition of the Indian National Congress because the presidential election is being held in violation of the various provisions of the Constitution and the rules of the Congress.

He also urged the court to stay the June 9 party presidential election, claiming "bogus membership" of the electoral college. But the court dismissed it, stating there was no basis in the petitioner's contention. Antulay vehemently denied that Das belonged to the Pawar camp.

Antulay claimed that Pawar received a warm welcome in Bhopal on Thursday. However, a journalist who came from Bhopal later in the day said only five PCC delegates were present to greet Pawar. P>Antulay said Pawar would later visit Calcutta and then Bombay, visiting all important leaders who could influence the party's electoral college. Pawar would also be meeting Uttar Pradesh party chief Jitendra Prasada, he said. When it was pointed out that Prasada was a known supporter of Kesri, Antulay said no Congressman was a "bonded labourer" of any party leader.

Meanwhile, Arjun Singh's vocal support of Kesri on Wednesday indicated that since Pawar and Rajesh Pilot had antagonised the Congress chief by contesting against him in the party's presidential poll, Arjun Singh stands to gain much in political terms. Arjun Singh apparently hopes that, if re-elected, Kesri will induct him into the Congress Working Committee.

Kesri met the press on Thursday and reiterated that he would not go out of Delhi to canvass but that many PCC delegates were coming to visit him from various states and promising their support.

Meanwhile, both Kesri and Pawar reportedly directed those who vote for them to opt for Rajesh Pilot as a second preference. But Rajesh Pilot suggested all three of them address joint meetings to avoid acrimony and trading of charges and counter-charges.

In a letter to the party chief, Pilot said that if that was not possible due to lack of time, they could address the voters on television. He said as the election campaigns were getting more aggressive as they progressed. "I don't think we had intended the elections to proceed this way," he said.

EARLIER STORY:Fearing defeat, Pawar camp blasts Kesri