UF, Kesri may clash over Vice-President issue

The Left parties aided by Mulayam Singh’s Samajwadi Party and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and UF’s convenor Chandrababu Naidu informally discussed the names of a few non-Congress leaders for the post of Vice President since K R Narayanan has already been accommodated as President.

Although the Communist Party of India’s (CPI) national executive is meeting tomorrow to discuss the Vice Presidential candidate, the Front leaders are unable to come up with any impressive name to make it for the top.

Karan Singh may be on the top of the list but there are not many takers for him in the Front.

Even Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah is not campaigning for him and will return from London only on Thursday. Karan Singh’s close relationship with Congress leader Madhavrao Scindia has been of little help to the former Sadar-e-Riyasat.

The names of former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda, Harkishan Singh Surjeet, wife of senior CPI leader, M Farooqui Bimla Farooqui, wife of Madhu Dandavate, Promila Dandavate, Karnataka Governor Khurshid Alam Khan, former Union Minister Abdul Ghafoor are being mentioned in private.

However, senior Front leaders are aware that claims of the Congress cannot be ignored as a show-down on the issue would unnecessarily complicate the political situation. Therefore, they are focussing on how to tame Kesri.

The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the Left parties have a soft corner for Akali Dal leader S S Barnala. But they would not be able to support his candidature in the core committee due to Barnala’s association with the Bharatiya Janata Party and also due to their own political compulsions.

The UF leaders are contemplating to depute Chandrababu Naidu to deal with the Congress president on the issue. The names of Vice Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha Najma Heptullah, Margret Alva and Pranab Mukherjee have been mentioned in the Congress circles although Mohsina Kidwai is also making a silent bid.

Kesri is keeping his cards close to his chest and giving no clue of his choice. But he is not averse to a woman being selected for the post. The UF would like to support a Congress leader but not a Kesri camp follower.

Contrary to popular belief, the UF leaders are unlikely to deal at length on the internal crisis within the Janata Dal.

A consensus of sorts have been evolved on the decision of not giving UF membership to the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) as long as Laloo Prasad Yadav does not resign as Bihar Chief Minister.

This is according to the norms for giving entry to political parties in the UF. The fate of the three Union ministers belonging to the RJD would be left to the PM because of the differences on the issue.