Surjeet Wants Gujral To Boost Fronts Sagging Image

Prestige of Prime Ministers office going down, feels Left leader

CPI(M) general secretary Harkishan Singh Surjeet told Prime Minister I K Gujral to do something immediately to salvage the prestige of his office, and the image of the United Front.

Before leaving for London on Tuesday, Surjeet is learnt to have told Gujral that since the image of the Front was going down, any dilly-dallying on his part will tarnish the image further. Surjeet made his mind known when Gujral sought his views on recent developments, Left sources said.

Surjeet told Gujral the Left parties would not compromise on three demands: That Laloo Prasad Yadav should resign as Chief Minister, the newly-formed Rashtriya Janata Dal should not be allowed in the Front, and the three Union ministers belonging to the RJD must be dismissed.

Surjeet, along with party colleague Sitaram Yechury and CPI general secretary AB Bardhan, also conveyed their views to United Front convenor N Chandrababu Naidu. He is said to have agreed with their views and assured them that he would try and convince other constituents of the Federal Front (a group consisting of the Telugu Desam, the DMK, the Tamil Maanila Congress and the Asom Gana Parishad). After knowing the views of such constituents, he said he would place the matter before the core group of the United Front.

Among the constituents of the Federal Front, while the TDP and the AGP have assured their support to the Left parties viewpoints, the DMK and the TMC are still undecided.

A Front leader said the DMK was reluctant to come out openly against Laloo Prasad Yadav because of the DMKs social base. The DMK survives on OBC politics. They are hesitant to come out openly demanding the resignation of an OBC leader, he said.

However, a senior Left leader felt that if the TMC decided to side with Laloo Prasad Yadav, the DMK would definitely join hands with the Left parties.

The impression among the people is that Gujral is backing Laloo Prasad Yadav, even if Gujral may not want it. Gujral has so far taken a moralistic stand. He has said that if he was in Laloo Yadavs position he would have resigned. But Gujral must take a political decision as well, CPI secretary D Raja said.

CPI(M) politbureau member Prakash Karat also said the Bihar issue would be dealt with politically and the United Front would step up pressure on Laloo Yadav to make him resign.

Whether he wins a majority or not, this is not an issue at well. We want him to resign even if he has enough support among MLAs, Karat added.

While Karat refused to comment on Gujrals statement that all those who held public offices and had been charged should quit their offices, Bardhan said: I wish the Prime Minister had made this statement three weeks ago.