Cong Participation To Weaken Govt: Nayanar

Kerala Chief Minister E K Nayanar yesterday said that there was no basis to the Congress contention that its participation would strengthen the I K Gujral government.

In fact, the Congress participation will only weaken the government. The Congress has been steadily losing its popular base in most states as has been evident from recent elections, Nayanar said in reply to reporters queries during his cabinet briefing here.

When his attention was drawn to the Tamil Maanila Congress (TMC) leader G K Moopanars statement favouring Congress participation in the government, Nayanar said, the general perception in the United Front (UF) is against the Congress joining the government.

Individual components in the UF might have their views. But, the general feeling was against the Congress being allowed to join the government. The Left parties had already made their position clear, Nayanar, who is also a member of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) politburo, maintained.

Nayanar said that if a general election was held, the Congress would be further diminished. Its performance in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Punjab had been quite unimpressive.

The Kerala irrigation minister and Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) general secretary Baby John, who was also present, said that the UF had not entered into any truce with the Congress.