Congress Decision On Motion Today

Congress president Sitaram Kesari yesterday said the partys stand on the BJP-sponsored motion for the recall of the Uttar Pradesh Governor would be decided today.

Replying to questions at a press meet here, Kesari also said it was too early to say whether or not the Congress would move cut motions on the budget proposals.

Kesari said his perception of the situation in Uttar Pradesh was bad and recalled the controversy involving the Governor and the Union home minister and the Lok Sabha speakers comments on the affair.

He said he was also definitely not happy with the law and order situation in Uttar Pradesh, but added that in every state there were law and order problems.

On whether the decision on the Congress stand on the BJP motion would be taken personally by him, Kesari said it will be decided by us. Asked about reported differences within the Congress over the question of the partys attitude to the United Front government, the Congress president said it is the democratic way.

I am not an astrologer, he said when asked how long he thought the United Front government would survive.

About the feeling among a section of Congressmen that the UF had humiliated and slighted the Congress, he said he would not deny it, adding that the party was giving a thought to it. Kesari was of the view that the United Front, which had formed the government with the participation of 13 parties, was weakening the secular forces. Asked why the Congress continued to support the UF government if it was weakening the secular forces, or if it did so as it was unprepared to face an election, he said the Congress stood committed to ideals and policies and was against destablising the nation.

Defending the criticism voiced by former finance minister Manmohan Singh about certain budget proposals, he said there was valid meaning in such criticism. Manmohan Singh understood the economy much better than anybody else, he added.

About the Gowda governments economic policies, Kesri said the slogan of growth will not mean much if such growth is meant for the upper middle class and not bring benefit to the downtrodden and the lowest unit so that we are able to wipe the tears of the last man. Economic reforms should not mean lack of ethical values which ignored the millions of people living below the poverty line, he added. Asked to comment on the reverses suffered by the Congress in elections after he had taken over as president, Kesari said those who had pointed out the reverses in Punjab, however, did not notice the partys performance in local bodies elections in Maharashtra or Orissa.

This aspect of the partys performance should also be taken into account, Kesari said, and added that he, however, would not put the blame for the defeat in Punjab on the workers or on the election commission for advancing the poll there. He said he wanted the party to remain united, and younger members to sink their differences.

so that the party would be able to carry on in the best traditions set by mahatma gandhi, nehru and azad.

Congress working committee members k karunakaran and a k antony, and kpcc president vayalar ravi were present at the press meet.