NEW DELHI, Nov 24: Hoping that the contradictions within the Congress would bail its Government out of the current crisis, the United Front today gave enough indications that it was open to a compromise while formally rejecting the demand for the ouster of the DMK.Emboldened by reports of restivesness among a large number of first-time MPs belonging to the Congress, some of whom joined members of other parties in seeking President K R Narayanan's intervention in the crisis, the Front late tonight decided to wait for the next move of the Congress.In the evening, Prime Minister I K Gujral despatched his long-awaited reply to the Congress demand for DMK's ouster. More in the nature of a peace-offering, the missive was delivered to Congress president Sitaram Kesri by an aide of the Prime Minister. The letter, sources in the UF said, was carefully worded so as give Kesri enough room to persuade the hawks within his party to see reason and desist from pushing things beyond a point.At the core committee meeting late tonight, it was felt that ``the temperature had been lowered with the growing realisation among the MPs about the perils of Lok Sabha dissolution.'' The Prime Minister's reply to Kesri states that the UF was not in a position to concede the demand on a matter which was not only sub-judice but was also based on interim findings of a commission of inquiry.No case could be made out, it states, against any individual or a party on the basis of the interim report. It obviously refers to the judgment of the trial court in Chennai is to be delivered on January 28.The letter, however, ends on a conciliatory note with the Prime minister indicating that discussions could be held between the two sides to explore a way out of the current impasse.Though the missive does not propose any formula to end the week-long stalemate, talks are on between the UF and the Congress to evolve a face-saving compromise. One proposal doing the rounds was that the government institute a three-member committee comprising sitting judges of the Supreme Court to study the findings of the interim report. The idea was not amenable to the Congress which wanted the committee to be expanded to include leaders of various political parties.Another formula, this time the brainchild of Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah, suggested the constitution of joint parliamentary committee to study the report within a time-frame. The Congress was agreeable to the suggestion provided the DMK was kept out of the government until the JPC submitted its report. But then it was summarily dismissed by the DMK.Eager to avoid a mid-term poll, UF and Congress leaders were working overtime to ensure the success of either of the formulae but the DMK issue was proving to be a big hurdle. A seven-member delegation of Congress MPs met TMC President G K Moopanar appealing to him to see that a mid-term poll was avoided. The political affairs committee of the Janata Dal, its highest policy-making body, was in session this evening to take stock of the situation.It was likely to be followed by a meeting of the core committee of the United Front later tonight after the arrival of its convenor N Chandrababu Naidu from Hyderabad.
