'Deve Gowda was aware of the Congress move'

Samajwadi Party general secretary Amar Singh claims the H D Deve Gowda government was aware of the Congress plan to withdraw support to the United Front. The UF was already discussing the possibilities two days earlier and hence was not taken off guard, he told Star News on Sunday night.

He, however ruled out the possibility of his party joining the Congress. Indicating that the Congress had attacked Mulayam Singh Yadav on his performance as defence minister and the situation in UP, Singh said it was highly unlikely that an alliance between the two parties could materialise. Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav said the President should ask Prime Minister Deve Gowda to prove his majority.

Reacting to the comment that most senior Congress leaders were taken unawares by Sunday's developments, former Union industry minister K Karunakaran said the decision was taken in consultation with party colleagues. Singh, however, stressed that senior Congress leaders were shocked by the news, so indications of dissent were already evident in the party over the decision.

However, other sections of the UF government have expressed their support for Deve Gowda. Tamil Maanila Congress leader G K Moopanar and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu said the UF was united behind the prime minister.

Former speaker Rabi Ray stressed that the decision to call Deve Gowda to prove his majority rests on the House, rather than the President. It was up to the President to summon the House. Nevertheless, he felt Deve Gowda should be given the first priority to prove his majority on the floor.