Why Mulayam hates 145;fronts146;

In a significant revelation that is likely to have an impact on the inner dynamics of the 8216;8216;secular front8217;8217; being put in...

In a significant revelation that is likely to have an impact on the inner dynamics of the 8216;8216;secular front8217;8217; being put in shape right now, CPIM general secretary Harkishen Singh Surjeet has disclosed that Mulayam Singh Yadav got the maximum votes to replace H.D. Deve Gowda as prime minister in 1997 but was unjustly denied the post by his opponents within the fractious United Front.

In an interview to The Indian Express editor-in-chief Shekhar Gupta on NDTV 24X78217;s Walk The Talk show tonight, Surjeet revealed for the first time the sequence of events which led to Mulayam8217;s 8216;8216;election8217;8217; followed by sabotage from within 8212; leading to the appointment of I.K. Gujral as the country8217;s prime minister.

Surjeet, who played a major in the formation of the UF government then, said the Congress destabilised the Deve Gowda regime because it wanted to join the government but 8216;8216;we were not for it8217;8217;. After the Congress 8212; supporting from outside 8212; insisted that Deve Gowda be replaced, there were just three names in the contest and it was decided to take a vote. Mulayam got a majority 8216;8216;120 votes or more8217;8217;, followed by G.K. Moopanar who got just about 20. Gujral was not one of the contenders.

Surjeet said he was informed of the result by UF convenor Chandrababu Naidu and 8216;8216;I said announce it8217;8217; and then left for Moscow for a conference. In Moscow, he was told to contact Delhi where an emergency UF meeting was on. Surjeet was informed that some leaders 8212; Laloo Yadav and Sharad Yadav in particular 8212; were insisting that 8216;8216;under no circumstances8217;8217; should Mulayam be made the PM. Gujral was served up as a compromise candidate.

Tonight8217;s flashback to 1997 partly explains Mulayam8217;s current hostility to the idea of a 8216;8216;secular front8217;8217; 8212; be it led by the Congress or the left parties.