Bengal Cong. leaders meet Sonia

By Angana Parekh

NEW DELHI, APRIL 3. Despite the loss of face caused by the defeat of Mr. D. P. Roy, considered her nominee in the Rajya Sabha elections in West Bengal, the Congress(I) President, Mrs. Sonia Gandhi, adopted a conciliatory approach towards leaders of the State unit who met her today. At a time when murmurs questioning her leadership are becoming louder, Mrs. Gandhi preferred not to rock the boat in West Bengal, where Assembly elections are due next year.

On their part, the State PCC president, Mr. A. B. A. Ghani Khan Chaudhary, and the former PCC chief, Mr. Somen Mitra, scotched speculations of a revolt in the State unit. They swore their loyalty to Mrs. Gandhi and explained to her that the defeat of Mr. Roy - due to cross-voting by party MLAs - was not a revolt against her. ``It was only that our MLAs could not reconcile to the candidature of Mr. D. P. Roy,'' Mr Chaudhary said.

Mr. Mitra put the blame squarely on Mr. Priyaranjan Das Munshi (Congress(I) chief whip in the Lok Sabha), saying that he had ``misled'' Mrs. Gandhi and wrongly informed her that Mr. Roy was acceptable to all the MLAs.

According to Mr. Chaudhary, Mr. Roy was considered ``unimpressive'' by the MLAs, who had wanted a popular candidate and knew West Bengal well. ``I did my best to persuade our MLAs to vote for Mr. Roy, but I didn't succeed,'' he said, revealing at the same time that he had proposed the nomination of Mr. Mitra but that Mrs. Gandhi had rejected it.

It is unlikely that disciplinary action will be taken against the MLAs who cross- voted. Mr. Mitra pointed out that it would not be possible to identify them, as voting was by secret ballot. Describing the meeting with Mrs. Gandhi, Mr. Chaudhary said that he had found ``to his utter surprise'' that her attitude was ``highly reasonable and kind.''

The other important matter - the Trinamul Congress chief, Ms. Mamata Banerjee's call for a grand alliance of non- Left parties in West Bengal - is to be discussed only tomorrow, when Mr. Chaudhary and Mr. Mitra are scheduled to meet Mrs. Gandhi again. Mrs. Ambica Soni and Mr. Pawan Bansal, who were central observers for the Rajya Sabha elections, would also be present, Mr. Mitra said.

However, Mr. Chaudhary and Mr. Mitra were categorical that such an alliance was necessary to dislodge the Left Front Government. Asked whether the presence of the BJP in the alliance was acceptable, Mr. Mitra replied that the composition and mechanism of the alliance could be discussed.

Though the AICC's stand is that there cannot be any alliance, whether direct or indirect, with the BJP, the views of State leaders do not seem to be so firm. They pointed out informally that the CPI(M) had a tacit understanding with the BJP in 1989, ``using Mr. V. P. Singh as a shield.''

To a question whether the Trinamul Congress leaving the NDA was a prerequisite for an alliance, Mr. Mitra said: ``There are no pre- conditions from our side.''

Mr. Chaudhary emphasised that the sentiments of the people of West Bengal were in favour of an alliance that could rid them of the ``tyranny'' of the CPI(M). Both the leaders said that a decision should be taken quickly on the alliance, as civic polls in the State are due in May/June this year. Assembly elections are due next year.

In fact, Mr. Chaudhary made no bones about his admiration for Ms. Banerjee. ``I must confess that we (the Congress-I) have not done as much as her (to oppose the CPI-M). The entire credit goes to Mamata. The people of West Bengal want us to follow her footsteps,'' he said. He also claimed that the known antipathy between Ms. Banerjee and Mr. Mitra would not come in the way of an alliance.

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