The Hindu : National : Congress defers decision on leader

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Oct 19, 2004

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National

Congress defers decision on leader

By Our Special Correspondent

MUMBAI, OCT. 18. The newly elected legislators to the Maharashtra Assembly from the Congress gathered at the party's head office this morning.

But instead of electing a leader, as was expected, they held a condolence meeting in memory of Govindrao Wanjari, the newly elected MLA from South Nagpur who died last night after a heart attack, at the Chief Minister, Sushil Kumar Shinde's residence.

The new MLAs were formally welcomed and introduced in the presence of the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee President, Prabha Rau, the All India Congress Committee general secretaries, Margaret Alva and Digvijay Singh, the Mumbai Regional Congress Committee president and MP, Gurudas Kamat, and Mr. Shinde.

Reserved responses

However, there was no discussion on the crucial issue of whether the Congress should or would claim the Chief Ministership in the new situation in which it finds itself — of being a junior partner to the Nationalist Congress Party.

Asked whether the Congress was open to a compromise, Mr. Kamat told The Hindu , "The alliance itself is a compromise. But we are firm that the Chief Ministership is ours." On why all this had to be decided in New Delhi and not by the legislature party, he replied, "They (the NCP) will also pass a one-line resolution saying that the question of a leader will be decided in Delhi. So that is what we have done."

Other party leaders were tight-lipped saying nothing more than, "Let the high command decide."

Ms. Alva reiterated that the mood amongst the new legislators was that "we should have the leadership."

Mr. Digvijay Singh refused to comment but said that everyone in the party was upbeat. The party had clearly proved everyone wrong by winning back the minority and Dalit vote, leaving no seats to the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party.

At the end of the brief meeting, Mr. Shinde, Ms. Rau, Ms. Alva, Mr. Singh and Mr. Kamat flew to Delhi for further meetings.

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