UF prefers to go down fighting

Congress representatives in the BAC protested saying that they were not agreeable to any debate as long as the DMK remained in the government. However, Speaker P A Sangma, citing the rules, expressed helplessness.

The UF’s gameplan is to present a united front to discredit the Congress not only in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case but also expose its “dubious role” in scuttling any action on the Thakkar Commission report on Indira Gandhi’s assassination which had pointed the needle of suspicion at CWC member R K Dhawan.

A hint of this strategy was given by Gujral himself in the Rajya Sabha this morning when in an exchange of words with former Home Minister S B Chavan, he questioned the then Congress government’s failure to act on the Thakkar Commission report.

On a day when the Congress finally made its formal demand for the DMK’s ouster from the government, the UF closed ranks behind one of its key constituents. After sensing the mood of Congressmen in Parliament, CPI(M) general secretary Harkishen Singh Surjeet abandoned his plans to persuade the DMK to withdraw from the government.

The Front’s core committee will meet tomorrow morning to formalise its response to the Congress parliamentary party resolution. UF convenor N Chandrababu Naidu arrived in the Capital late tonight to attend the crucial core committee meeting.

As for the DMK, in a clear move to pre-empt any attempt from within to force its removal from the coalition, it declared that “there is no valid reason for our ministers to quit.” There are three DMK ministers in the government: Murasoli Maran (Industry), T R Baalu (Petroleum) and T G Venkataraman (Surface Transport).

Party chief M Karunanidhi told reporters: “We will go to the people. Let the people decide.” In a stinging retort to the interim report, Karunanidhi charged the Jain Commission with accusing all the people of Tamil Nadu. “In fact, the interim report indicts the total population of Tamil Nadu,” he said.

Up And Down

Sonia Gandhi is the rallying point among Congressmen keen to dump the UF. Because November is the month of many anniversaries in the Nehru-Gandhi family, Sonia is frequently seen but, as usual, seldom heard.

Mulayam Singh Yadav is one UF leader who is not worried about the Government. He’s contemplating a tie-up with the Congress.

Deve Gowda believes he has been vindicated. When he was dumped by the UF, he had warned that it was just a question of time before the Congress stabbed his successor.

I K Gujral: The speculation in the Capital is not if he would go but when the PM would be handing in his resignation.

M C Jain: Government has dismissed his conclusions as “unsubstantiated expression of opinion.” Home Minister Indrajit Gupta alleged that Jain might have leaked the report himself.

M Karunanidhi left for Chennai tonight in anger. He talked bitterly of a north-south divide. Karunanidhi fears that his alliance with the TMC may end soon and Jayalalitha will be the beneficiary.