The Hindu : Samata crisis may lead to realignment in Delhi

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Apr 14, 2003

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Samata crisis may lead to realignment in Delhi

By K.V. Prasad

NEW DELHI APRIL 13. The latest development in the Bihar unit of the Samata Party could see a possible realignment within the "Janata parivar" at the Centre as the tussle between the two top leaders, George Fernandes and Nitish Kumar, took a turn for the worse.

The tidings from Patna do not augur well for the Samata chief and Defence Minister, George Fernandes, whose loyalists have been ejected from prime party posts.

On his part, Mr. Fernandes does not want to be seen as a leader who wrecked the party he created.

While official word is being awaited from the Samata camp, a senior leader associated with the socialist groupings said the battle could well "see a realignment" in Delhi, which could result in Mr. Fernandes consolidating his grip over the Samata Parliamentary Party.

The Samata Party, with 12 Lok Sabha MPs, is the second largest constituent in the NDA Government after the Shiv Sena and enjoys a high rating with the BJP. Such is the level of confidence that Mr. Fernandes continued to be the NDA convener even after he quit the Union Cabinet on the Tehelka issue.

At present, the senior leader said, "At least eight of the 12 MPs are aligned with Mr. Fernandes, while the rest includes some fence sitters". With a serious revolt virtually resulting in a vertical division and the Bihar unit going the Railway Minister, Nitish Kumar's way, Mr. Fernandes may "expand his following as a measure of caution", he added.

As of now, Mr. Fernandes is promoting the Trinamool Congress (with eight MPs) and its leader, Mamata Banerjee. It is understood that he has been advocating her return to the Union Cabinet.

Ms. Banerjee is said to be inclined towards reclaiming the Railway Ministry, and after the current showdown with Mr. Kumar, the Samata chief may no longer plead with the BJP that his party colleague be allowed to retain the prime portfolio.

Significantly, the development comes at a time when different factions in the "Janata parivar" in Karnataka are trying to sort out their differences and close ranks.

A similar move cannot be ruled out in Bihar, where the Samata Party and the Janata Dal (United) have good working relations.

Apparently, there is a move to sound out the Lok Janshakti Party chief, Ram Vilas Paswan, who quit the Vajpayee Government after the Gujarat riots.

Mr. Paswan, who was in the anti-Laloo Prasad Yadav front, has found himself alone ever since. His efforts to join hands with the Congress came a cropper during the Gujarat Assembly elections and, later, his party contested independently in the Himachal Pradesh elections in February last.

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