Bhandari Row May Be Used To Oust Cpi From Govt

The either Bhandari or Gupta line being propounded by the BJP may be expoited by those in the United Front who want the CPI out of the government, according to a senior Front leader. The line is supported by many in the Front who want the CPI to keep out of the government and support it from outside.

Political circles are watching to what extent the home minister can go to save his honour. This. along with the reluctance of Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda to recall, or even indicate a time for Bhandaris recall, is being explained by the anti-Bhandari circle as a bid to humiliate the home minister so that he takes the extreme step.

A cabinet minister in the Gowda government said Samajwadi Party leader and Union defence minister Mulayam Singh Yadav had made it a point that UP Governor Romesh Bhandari should not be removed. He is learnt to have threatened to resign if Bhandari is recalled.

On the other hand, Gupta had also told his party that he could no longer continue like this and would rather quit. His party has strongly chided him for this and he hangs on bowing to the collective decision of the party, CPI sources said.

He added that Guptas resignation on this issue would be too humiliating for the CPI to continue in the government. The CPI(M)s silence on this matter has made the matter all the more difficult for the CPI. The CPI(M) is not willing to come out openly in support of the home minister in order not to displease its close ally, the SP, even though several CPI(M) MPs have expressed that Bhandari has transgressed his limit by openly contradicting Guptas statement on the law and order situation in UP.

CPI(M) general secretary HS Surjeet met Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda last week but the details of the meeting are not yet known. CPI leaders, on the other hand, put up a brave front, saying the Left parties are united on the UP situation and they will attack Bhandari when the debate on the UP situation begins in Parliament.

The CPI-M is also avoiding talking in public on this issue as it is already engaged in an ideological churning following West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basus statement his party committed a historic blunder by not joining the government.

It would be an ideological victory for the anti-Basu line in the party in case the CPI has to quit the government in humiliation.

UF leaders feel that on many occasions the CPI has proved to be an embarassment for the government, as they have criticised the government many times. They further argue that the CPIs ouster will pave the way for the entry of the Congress and the CPI will be reduced to the same position as the Congress is today.