Uf Partners Firm On Narayanan'S Choice

The United Front Steering Committee is unlikely to reopen the informal agreement among the constituent parties to support Vice-President K R Narayanan in the forthcoming presidential election, in spite of Karnataka Chief Minister J H Patel recommending the name of former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda.

Patel has written to United Front convenor Chandra Babu Naidu that in case the Front decided not to back Naraynan, it should consider the name of Gowda.

A fellow partyman of Gowda, Patel was never considered close to him. In this background, his letter for Gowda as it is being taken with a pinch of salt.

 

Patel apparantly wanted to leave no room for confusion as to how serious he was in his own recommendation, and therefore not only he put the condition of in case the Front not considering Narayanan but even left for the US on a two-weeks tour.

A senior non-Dal Front leader yesterday emphasised that there was no question of the Front backing anyone but Narayanan.

Another United Front source stated that today's steering committee might leave it to Prime Minsiter I K Gujral, Front convenor N Chandra Babu Naidu and some other senior leaders to work on a consensus after talking to the Congress Party.

The Congress Party under the leadership of Sitaram Kesri is unlikely to back Gowda.

Today's steering committee would not discuss the vice-presidential nominee as for the present there is neither any vacancy nor the term of incumbent Narayanan has ended. His term expires in July.