Cong can8217;t match Jaya8217;s pace

This has become crucial in the wake of BSP leader Kanshi Ram8217;s ambiguity on supporting a no-confidence motion. Congress circles see this flip-flop by Kanshi Ram as a sign that the BJP is hard at work to rustle up numbers from the smaller parties to make up for the loss of the AIADMK8217;s support.

Congressmen at large, however, are more anxious about the next step and the shape and form of an alternative government is the subject of endless debates and frenzied lobbying in the Congress camp.

The cruxof the problem lies in Sonia Gandhi8217;s apparent reluctance to head an alternative government. Although in her talks with Third Front leaders, she offered to back a government headed by someone like Deve Gowda, they flatly refused to get into another uncertain arrangement like the United Front Government. The Congress may thus be left with no option but to head the alternative government itself.

Two names are now doing the rounds 8212; Manmohan Singh and P Shiv Shankar. Singh was Sonia8217;s original choice but she is finding it difficult to get not only the Left Parties to agree, even her own party is campaigning vigorously against him. The main criticism levelled against Singh by both is his economic policies which are seen as pro-rich and pro-multinational. Ironically, his attempts over the past one year to introduce a Leftist touch to his economic views have not earned him any brownie points with either.

Shiv Shankar8217;s name is believed to have been suggested by the Left as a counter to Singh. He is a Dalit andhe is close to Sonia. The Left believes this unbeatable combination makes him a candidate Sonia cannot refuse.

The Congress party, on the other hand, is determined that Sonia herself should head the next government.

Like the proverbial lobsters in a pot pulling each other down, no Congress leader wants to see another get the top job, even for a short while. The pressure is thus mounting on Sonia to take over the reins herself.

According to those close to Sonia, she ideally wants to become Prime Minister only after gaining the legitimacy of an electoral verdict. They maintain that her time frame for the exit of the Vajpayee Government was the monsoon session of Parliament but events have overtaken her and now her options seem to be limited.

If the Vajpayee Government goes in April, a mid-term poll will not be possible till after the monsoon, probably along with assembly polls in October-November. Unless another government is formed, Vajpayee will stay on as caretaker Prime Minister for six months 8212; aprospect the Congress does not relish. So what are Sonia8217;s alternatives? Either she manages to get the Third Front to head an interim government. Or she persuades her partymen and her allies to agree to a nominee of her choice. If these fail, she may have no option but to head a government herself until she is ready to face a mid-term poll.

Her unhappiness at the way the situation is developing can be gauged from the fact that some of her loyalists have now started examining the pros and cons of a caretaker BJP government. The coming weeks will severely test Sonia8217;s political skills.