Gujral may face serious trouble: Sonia aides
D Jose in Thiruvananthapuram
Senior Congress leaders feel the party's support to the Inder Kumar Gujral government should be reviewed if the United Front did not concede the high command's demands on the Jain Commission report.
This has been disclosed by two senior Congress leaders who returned to Kerala after the recent round parleys on the Commission's report which reportedly indicted the Dravida Munnetra Kazagham in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.
According to Congress Working Committee member and Sonia Gandhi confidant A K Antony, the days of the UF government are numbered if it continues to function in its present fashion.
Sounding disenchanted with the UF, Antony said it is time the Gujral government reversed its anti-Congress approach.
''The UF has been following double standards. It wants the Congress's support to remain in power,'' he said. ''But treats it like an enemy in public.''
"The UF should have the humility to admit that it is in power because of the Congress. The hide-and-seek approach will get us nowhere... How long should the Congress tolerate all this?'' the former Kerala chief minister said.
Former Union minister K Karunakaran, too, took the UF to task. He said it would be impossible for the Congress to support the government if it did not table the Commission report in Parliament on November 19, when the winter session begins.
Asked if there was a possibility of the government rejecting the report, the senior leader said such a step would be ''suicidal''. He said the Commission had backed its findings with ''clear proof about the complicity and involvement of various men and agencies in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination''.
Asked if the M Karunanidhi government in Tamil Nadu should be dismissed immediately, Karunakaran said appropriate action could be taken after examining the constitutional provisions.
As for Union Finance Minister Palaniappan Chidambaram, who has also been indicted by the Commission, Karunakaran said all those responsible for the assassination should be punished.
Asked if Sonia Gandhi would play an active role at this juncture, Karunakaran said her leadership was essential for the Congress. He said Sonia will be able to inject fresh life into
the party.
Blaming the high command for the split in the party's Uttar Pradesh unit, Karunakaran said ''sufficient advance information'' was available about what was coming.
Asked if Uttar Pradesh will be repeated in Delhi if the Gujral government falls, Karunakaran said, ''No MP will desert the Congress to join the Bharatiya Janata Party. The Congress is more anti-BJP than any other party, but it will not suffer
due to its anti-BJP outlook.''
As both Karunakaran and Antony were involved in the crucial talks at Delhi -- and have reportedly probed Sonia Gandhi's mind on the issue -- Kerala political circles see a serious threat to the UF government.
RELATED REPORT:
UF parties warn Gujral against dumping DMK
Congress calls MPs's meet on Jain panel
EARLIER INTERVIEW:
'No action will follow the Jain Commission report'
EARLIER REPORTS:
Kesri's ultimatum shocks UF
UF buys time with denial
Naidu-Moopanar-Karunanidhi meet spurs speculation
UF sits on 'time-bomb'
Govt will ask Jain panel to provide evidence
Jain report will have serious implications: Congress
Jain panel interim report indicts Karunanidhi, V P Singh, Chandra Shekhar
Tell us what you think of this report
|
