Cong. may consider delinking formula

By Javed M. Ansari

NEW DELHI, MARCH 9. The Congress today indicated that it was willing to consider delinking of the Pondicherry issue vis-a-vis alliance for Assembly elections, but said no final decision has been taken.

On the contentious alliance issue in Tamil Nadu, the party spokesperson, Mr. Jaipal Reddy, told presspersons this afternoon that ``something authoritative and final would emerge within the next 24 hours''.

Separately, Mr. Ghulam Nabi Azad, in charge of Tamil Nadu affairs, said ``We will not be part of any Government- sharing arrangement with the PMK,'' Mr. Azad said.

However, its willingness to consider the delinking formula is a change from its previous position. Some days ago, Mr. Azad had stated that his party ``had not yet applied its mind to the idea of delinking the two issues (alliance in Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry)''.

The Congress appears to have been encouraged to consider, by the TMC and also by a section from within its own fold, the delinking proposal. Those in favour of treating the two alliances separately argue that the party has been forced to adopt that position despite its serious reservations about the PMK, because in Tamil Nadu it is up against a bigger danger in ``the communal NDA alliance'', while the fight in Pondicherry is to save the Government. The Pondicherry unit has also told the central leadership that it is quite confident of winning enough seats along with the TMC to form a Government on its own.

The delinking formula, according to sources, if found acceptable might lead to breaking the log-jam over Pondicherry. The AIADMK has promised the PMK in writing the first chance at Government formation and finds itself unable to renege on that position. The Congress, on the other hand, is categorical that it will not be part of any power-sharing arrangement with the PMK. It also believes that it has much stronger claim as it is in Government in Pondicherry and is the main force there, with the largest number of MLAs.

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