NEW DELHI, March 5: Senior Congress leaders Sharad Pawar and K Karunakaran today launched an offensive to divide the BJP camp by trying to woo the saffron allies. Their targets included Jayalalitha and Om Prakash Chautala with whom they established contact.The moves were made even before the Congress Working Committee (CWC) began its crucial meeting, chaired by its president Sitaram Kesri, this evening to decide whether the party should press for the formation of a coalition Government with the United Front in the first place.Pawar made no bones about his intention to go in for the kill. He hinted that Mamata Bannerjee, who he claimed was close to him, could be brought back to the Congress fold, provided the CWC took a formal decision in this regard."All those who say the Congress should sit in the Opposition and let the BJP form the Government are creating confusion," he said. "The matter can only be decided by the CWC."Pawar, while trying to make bridges to Sonia Gandhi, has redoubled hisefforts in other areas as well to emerge as the uncrowned Congress chief. His moves bordering on desperation, point out observers, are aimed at consolidating his position in the CWC. The message to other Congressmen is loud and clear: support Pawar if you want to keep the BJP from coming to the Centre.Sources revealed that Pawar secured Chandrashekhar's assistance in contacting Chautala even though he has already announced support "from outside" to the BJP.Working in tandem with Pawar is Karunakaran. The latter, it is learnt, spoke twice with Chandrababu Naidu over the telephone, and appeared relieved by the Andhra leader's reported assurance that the TDP would not support the BJP. Karunakaran also had a detailed talk with Jayalalitha.Madhavrao Scindia, another probable Prime Ministerial candidate, has however preferred to keep low at this juncture. "I am not a participant in the power struggle (within the Congress)," was his pointed reply to a query.Interestingly, Sonia Gandhi so far has notclarified her position on what course the Congress should take. This was stated by at least two CWC members on condition of anonymity. If they are to be believed, even Kesri is keeping his cards close to his chest.In the past few informal meetings with the CWC members, Kesri chose to remain mum. According to a CWC member, "He has kept an open mind and has till now not taken a position on the Government formation."Like the quickly scrapped posters demanding Prime Ministership for Pawar, Ghulam Nabi Azad's earlier insistence at a press-briefing that the Congress and the UF must join hands to keep the BJP out of power too stands cancelled in the changed scenario. Thanks to an undecided Sonia, Kesri and the Congress - with only Pawar and a few others taking a pointed stand - the situation in the Congress is as clear as mud.
