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Fernandes all set to take over as Samata chief

By K. Balchand

HAJIPUR AUG. 18. Notwithstanding his isolation in Parliament by the Opposition, the Defence Minister, George Fernandes, is all set to take over as the president of the faction-ridden Samata Party, once again on September 1. The Railway Minister and the senior-most leader in the party, Nitish Kumar, announced here that the national executive would, at its meeting on September 1, formalise Mr. Fernandes anointment as the party president for the second time, succeeding V. V. Krishna Rao, who has expressed his willingness to relinquish his post.

Mr. Kumar said that it was only natural for Mr. Fernandes to take over as he had to step down from his post in January 2000 in the light of the Election Commission upholding the objection of the JD (U) president, Sharad Yadav, that the former having been elected on a JD (U) ticket, could not issue symbols of the Samata Party, which had been revived ahead of the Assembly elections in Bihar.

But there is more to it than meets the eye. The action underscores the problems confronting the Samata and its leadership, so much so that the leadership considers it a necessity for Mr. Fernandes to take over once again, notwithstanding the fact that the Opposition have been boycotting him inside Parliament.

Mr. Fernandes indeed would be making a comeback in organisational matters much as he had returned to the Union Cabinet after the defence expose which also claimed the scalp of Jaya Jaitly, who had taken over as the party's chief from him in January 2000. Ms. Jaitly had to resign her post over the Tehelka tapes on March 15, 2001. Mr. Rao's brief tenure would stand terminated on September 1, making way for the founder-president to pull the reins once again.

Mr. Rao was unable to contain the dissidents at the national and State levels. Mr. Kumar had bought peace with the Bihar MLAs pleading for unity till the controversy over the creation of new railway zones was not settled by the Union Cabinet. The Legislature Party had authorised its leader, Uma Shanker Singh, to form a united front with the JD (U) and replace the BJP as the principal Opposition party in the Bihar Assembly.

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