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P Venugopal
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, MAY 28: The Congress(S) may merge with the Nationalist Congress Party formed by its former president and expelled Congress leader Sharad Pawar.
A conclave of Congress(S) leaders held in Delhi Wednesday has decided to convene the plenary session of the party in Delhi on June 6. Party leaders from Kerala who attended the conclave included KPCC(S) president Ramachandran Kadannappalli, general secretary TP Peethambaran Master and treasurer and Minister for Health AC Shanmughadas.
Although it is officially stated that the plenary session is convened to discuss the pre-poll political situation in the country, the real agenda of the hurriedly-called session is understood to be the formal endorsement of the proposal to merge the party with Pawar's outfit.
While addressing a press conference in Delhi Thursday, party president Sarat Chandra Sinha spoke only of his party's decision to ``work with'' the NCP. But party general secretary Peethambaran Master has repeatedly stated that ``there wasno question of formation of a separate unit of Pawar's party in Kerala when Congress(S) was there''.
Party leaders from Kerala had a separate sitting with Pawar. In fact, soon after his expulsion from the Congress, Pawar had contacted all his former Congress(S) colleagues in Kerala, including PC Chacko who is now with the Congress, in his efforts to enlist their co-operation for his future political project.
Although the Congress(S) leaders had expressed their willingness to team up with Pawar, they did not want to make any compromise with their political compulsions in Kerala where the party is heavily dependent on the CPM for its survival.
At Wednesday's Delhi conclave, Pawar reportedly assured the Kerala leaders that he would keep equidistance from both the Congress and BJP. This is the only line that would enable the Congress(S) to serve the twin purposes of remaining in the Left Democratic Front in Kerala and playing a role at the national level.
``Pawar assured us that he would have nothing todo with Congress or BJP. We told him that if he enters into any kind of a tie-up with the BJP in future, then we would have to reconsider our relationship with him'', Shanmughadas told The Indian Express.
Meetings of the KPCC(S) executive and general body have been called at Kochi on May 31 and June 1 respectively to discuss the merger proposal. No serious opposition to the merger proposal is anticipated at the meetings.
The Congress(S), whose pockets of influence is confined mainly to Kerala, had been of late facing serious challenges to its unity and cohesion. A faction within the party is clamouring for divesting Shanmughadas of ministership. Merger with the Pawar outfit is expected to lend it new life. But the party leaders from Kerala would be in for serious embarrassment if Pawar, despite his assurances now, moves over to the BJP camp after the election or the CPM supports the Congress to form a Government.
Pawar's friends here envisage a post-poll situation where neither the Congress northe BJP would be in a position to form the next government and Pawar would then be in a position to lead the government with the support of the Left and other friendly parties as well as a breakaway group of MPs from the Congress.
Pawar loyalists reckon that in the event of the Congress failing in the numbers game after the coming election, Pawar would be able to wean considerable number of Congress MPs to his camp. This is where they count on the support of people like PC Chacko who were once Pawar proteges.
The Congress(S), which took birth in 1978 following differences with Indira Gandhi, would be turning a full circle with its proposed merger with the Pawar outfit, which itself is born out of opposition to Sonia Gandhi, another member of the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty.
Copyright © 1999 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
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