Cong To Stake Claim If Govt Falls

The Congress yesterday said that it would stake claim to form government, in case the A B Vajpayee government fell due to its own itnernal contradictions.

Congress spokesperson Girija Vyas told journalists that her party would form a government with the help of all those parties which have faith in "socialist, secular and democratic" values.

Senior party leaders later made it clear that either it would be a Congress government or elections in case the Congress failed to form a governemnt. This means, in case there is a mid-term election, it would be under a Congress government and not a BJP government.

Congress leaders yesterday were more open on the possibility of their party forming a government. They claimed that apart from AIADMK and its allies Mamata Bannerjee's Trinamool Congress might align with the Congress once the Vajpayee government fell. Samata Party and BJD might split and one group will align with the Congress.

Senior Congress leaders were already in regular touch with various alliance partners of the BJP. Arjun Singh and Natwar Singh are two CWC members who are in touch with most of these leaders.

The two Singh's are also in touch with Mulayam Singh Yadav and Laloo Prasad Yadav. The two Yadav's might soon meet Sonia Gandhi, the party leader said.

The question most frequently being hurled at the Congress yesterday was whether Congress President Sonia Gandhi herself would lead the government or entrust the job to a party colleague.

The question remained unanswered except for an admission of the fact that both the possibilities had their own advantages and disadvantages.

The Congress party would have preferred the A B Vajpayee government to continue for another three to four months. "Elections in 1999 suits us fine. By then the BJP would have exposed itself fully", a party leader said.

In the assessment of the party, the economic, social and political atmosphere in the country was very bad at present and this would present the greatest challenge to the next government.