Naidu on the horns of a dilemma
Rajesh Ramachandran in New Delhi and Syed Firdaus Ashrafin Bombay
The second core committee meeting of the United Front after the Lok Sabha elections reveals that the Telugu Desam Party was divided on the issue of which party to support.
Naidu is reportedly being pushed by other party members into supporting the Bharatitya Janata Party, a step that could alienate him not only from other UF members but also from the Muslims who voted for his party,'' claimed a UF leader who attended the core group meeting.
"Naidu has real problems. His people have been bought over by the BJP. If he takes a decision contrary to what his MPs want, they will split the party."
However, TDP politburo member V S Rao was non-committal when asked whether a section of the party was in favour of supporting the BJP.
Asked whether his party would lose Muslim support if Naidu supports a BJP-led government, he told Rediff On The NeT, "The issue will be decided after we meet and discuss the future course of action. I cannot comment beyond that."
Asked when his party would take the final decision, Rao said, "The TDP will take a decision only after a politburo meeting which will be held in a day or two."
It seems the only way the party can avoid a split is by remaining neutral and abstaining from voting during any floor test the BJP might face. Realising this, Naidu will most probably play safe and abstain from voting.
The UF leader, however, said the TDP might not even remain part of the combine if things go on as they are now.
Today's meeting failed because the TDP could not give an assurance that it would vote against the BJP in any possible vote of confidence.
Though the official version has it that the meeting ended on a positive note and that the core committee would meet again in a couple of days, the UF is clearly worried about which way the TDP will lean.
Naidu is to indicate the time for the next meeting. He has told the core group that he would discuss the matter with his party members before getting back to them. But even the most optimistic UF leaders are expressing their reservations about the TDP.
Today's discussion revolved essentially around the election of a speaker. The UF badly wants a speaker from the UF-Congress camp. The leaders feel there will be a lot of floor-crossing in the 12th Lok Sabha; in such a case the speaker's post assumes great significance.
But again, Naidu cannot promise that he will help the UF vote out a BJP candidate and help foist a candidate acceptable to both the UF and the Congress.
The one name the UF had no complaints about was that of eleventh Lok Sabha Speaker Purno Sangma.
Sangma, the UF feels, would not indulge in mischief like a BJP speaker could.
But there seems to be pressure on Naidu from within his party to abstain from voting. For, even if the party votes against a BJP speaker, it could be viewed as a loss of confidence in the government. To avoid such situation, the BJP has been persuading the 12 TDP members.
Briefing the media after the meeting, Communist Party of India-Marxist general secretary Harkishen Singh Surjeet said the UF could not take a decision on the issue of supporting the Congress as that party had not elected its parliamentary party leader.
United Front leaders hope the next CPP chief will be Sharad Pawar, who is friendlier to their group. If Pawar takes over, they hope the TDP will remain with them, and help them go in for the kill later when the BJP government becomes shaky. But it all depends on who becomes the next Congress chief.
Elections '98
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