MUMBAI, March 3: Flowers, firecrackers and sweets, jubilation and a high note of confidence marked Sharad Pawar's triumphant return to Mumbai after a day in New Delhi on Monday.The man who might have stopped the formation of another Bharatiya Janata Party government at the Centre exuded extreme confidence at the ability of the Congress to form and lead the country.Pawar said his party had already begun negotiations with leaders of the United Front as their combined tally was over what had been secured by the BJP and its allies. "The secular forces will form the government. There will be no delays in staking the claim, and we will be able to give a stable government for five years."He said the Congress-UF combine would also seek to persuade other secular forces who might now be with the BJP to keep the communal forces at bay. He, however, skirted all queries on whether he would bid for the top job or if Sonia Gandhi would be persuaded to head the party."The AICC will decide on the leadership issuein good time. But we will have no difficulty in coming to a consensus rapidly," Pawar said.Asked how the Congress hoped to provide a stable government on a fractured verdict, he said, "There are precedents. In 1990, the Congress was a few seats short of absolute majority in Maharashtra. But we ran the government for five years. The same happened in the Lok Sabha in 1991. But there was no instability at the Centre either."Pawar said he did not expect that the party would find it too difficult to bring round the UF partners who might have some qualms about supporting a Congress-led government. With regard to the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) vis-a-vis the Jain Commission report, Pawar said the situation had changed following the conviction of several persons in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case. However, he was cagey aboutt the specifics of working out arrangements with these parties. On the possibility of the BJP being able to form a government he said, "This time they will not last even 13days."Commenting on his party's performance in Maharashtra, Pawar admitted that the Congress" performance had gone beyond even their own expectations. But, said he was happy that the Congress-Samajwadi Party-Republican Party of India alliance had succeeded in stalling the advance of the "communal forces" in the country.He also expressed his satisfaction at the Congress" ability to transfer all their votes to the four Dalit candidates who contested on the RPI ticket."We now know that we can succeed in converting our votes to the other parties. The verdict has also proved that parties that do not believe in culture and refinement and restrict themselves to terrorism in the name of one family cannot survive for long. The people have voted for their surivival. The writing on the wall is clear,"he said.Pawar who had earlier suggested that if the Congress formed a government at the Centre it would seek the dismissal of the Sena-BJP Government in Maharashtra said he had now changed his mind after ameeting at the AICC headquarters yesterday. Meanwhile, speaking to media persons, Ramdas Athawale, RPI winner from Mumbai North Central said, his party would be happy if at least two of the four MPs were accommodated in the next government. "If not we will settle for one," he said.In reply to a query, he said the most remarkable achievement of this election was the transfer of "savarna" (upper caste) votes to the Dalit candidates. "The reverse was usually true. But the credit for this goes entirely to Mr Pawar," he added.
