The Hindu : Congress for consensus on Vice-President

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jun 15, 2002

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Congress for consensus on Vice-President

By Anita Joshua

NEW DELHI JUNE 14. Though the Congress is willing to cooperate with the National Democratic Alliance if the ruling coalition seeks a consensus on the Vice-Presidential candidate, it indicated today that it would contest the post should an attempt be made to foist a BJP candidate.

With the result of the Presidential elections now a foregone conclusion, the focus within the Congress has turned to the office of the Vice-President that falls vacant in August. And, as was the case with the Presidential candidate, the Congress will consult all "like-minded" Opposition parties before making up its mind.

The party spokesperson, Jaipal Reddy, told mediapersons in an informal chat: "If the NDA tries for a consensus, we will be ready to cooperate, keeping in mind the high office of the Vice-President. But in case the NDA tries to impose its own candidate unilaterally, we will be left with no option but to contest.''

However, he gave no indication of the probables being considered by the Congress for the post of Vice-President.

Mr. Reddy did not comment on the Left parties fielding the revolutionary freedom fighter, Lakshmi Sahgal, against the eminent scientist, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, for President. That the party was reluctant to comment on Capt. Sahgal's candidature became evident when it cancelled its scheduled briefing soon after the Left announced its candidate.

Though the Congress' focus has now turned to the Vice-Presidential elections, introspection over its decision to support Dr. Kalam continued today.

Again, the underlying point was that the party leadership could ill-afford to ignore the views of the party's Chief Ministers who were overwhelmingly in favour of Dr. Kalam.

While the mood within the party was favourable to Dr. Kalam, soon after the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, informed the Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, of the NDA choice, a decision was apparently deferred in view of the Maharashtra political scenario.

With the CPI(M) pledging support to the ruling Democratic Front in the State and the Left parties wielding considerable influence over the Peasants and Workers' Party, the Congress did not want to jeopardise the carefully-orchestrated exercise to save the Deshmukh Government.

In fact, the ``unofficial" meeting of the Congress Working Committee — wherein the final decision to support Dr. Kalam and communicate its decision to the CPI(M) was taken — took place around the same time as the DF Government was facing its vote of confidence. And, by the time the CPI (M) general secretary, Harkishan Singh Surjeet, was informed, the crisis in Maharashtra had blown over.

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