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Pawar does not rule out alliance with BJP

Amberish K Diwanji in New Delhi

Sharad Pawar, Purno Sangma and Tariq Anwar today held discussions to hammer out a new party along with the required paraphernalia.

The trio, while emphasising that the party would be wedded to the ideology of secularism, did not rule out an alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party.

"We will be a secular party, inspired by the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru. And all talks of alignments and agreements will be possible only after we officially form a party," said Pawar, clearly the leader of the troika that was expelled from the Congress on May 20. "Whether the BJP qualifies as a secular party, only our party can, and will, decide."

Pawar categorically said the three stood by the Congress party's condemnation of the attacks on Christians, witnessed in December 1998 and January 1999. "The party will not be a regional formation but an all-India party," he stated.

The to-be-formed party has also not ruled out alliances with other parties that belonged to the erstwhile Third Front. "But it will be immature at this juncture to give names. First we have to form our party and then hold discussions with all of them. Only then, if any deals are finalised, can we publicise them," Pawar said.

The leader of the opposition in the twelfth Lok Sabha said he had received telephone calls and faxes from people across India belonging to different parties. "Congress leaders and workers too have contacted me, but it will not be appropriate to give out their names at this stage," he said.

Pawar did not rule out an alliance with the All-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam of J Jayalalitha also, but emphasised that no decision had yet been made on any alliance.

The name of the new party is also not yet known as it has to be cleared by the Election Commission. But the party will have the word "Congress" as part of the name. "All three of us are part of the Congress movement and its ideology, hence it is only natural for us to have the word Congress in it," said Pawar.

A key feature of the party constitution, which is being drafted by a team led by Sangma, is that it will be federal in character, a direct challenge to the unitary structure in both the Congress and the BJP where the word of the leadership in Delhi is final. "The party will be divided into three tiers -- centre, state and district -- and each level will be autonomous," said Sangma. "Decentralisation of power will be very important."

Besides this unique aspect, other points are run of the mill -- removal of poverty, illiteracy and unemployment, empowerment of women (asked if this included Sonia Gandhi, Sangma replied with an impish smile that Gandhi was not Indian!), and the uplift of the weaker sections.

On the last point, Sangma said, "Unlike other parties which only pay lip service to helping the weaker sections, we have set up an experts committee which is drafting ways and means to actually make a difference to the nation's poorest and oppressed."

Pawar said the party would not be totally socialistic in its economic ideology and would be committed to liberalisation and opening up the economy. "The details will be contained in the party constitution, but we are aiming for a party that is suited for the 21st century," he declared a trifle grandly.

Strangely, on the one issue that forced the trio against Sonia Gandhi and the Congress, the new party's constitution will be quiet. It will not state that only Indians born in India will be eligible for the posts of President, vice-president and prime minister. "That declaration will be part of our party's manifesto," Sangma explained.

Pawar and Sangma (Anwar sat quietly all through) said the new party would get busy with the forthcoming election with the sole aim of winning as many seats as possible. "We will sweep Maharashtra and the North-East and are hopeful of doing well in some other states too," said Pawar.

While Pawar and Sangma oozed confidence of doing well in their respective regions, Congress politicians were still working feverishly at reiterating that both of them lack any real support. "In the North-East, most of the state unit chiefs and other leaders have called in to assure the leadership of their support for Sonia Gandhi," said Ambika Soni, who is in charge of the North-East in the Congress.

But Sangma pooh-poohed Soni's statement. "No one will speak up now. They are also biding their time and seeing what they can get from the Congress leadership in return for their support," he said, adding that as election time drew near, more and more disgruntled elements would join them.

Similarly, a Congress official from Maharashtra too claimed that most of the party's leaders in the state are not joining Pawar's new outfit. "Out of 33 MPs, only 10 have backed Pawar and out of 78 members in the legislative assembly, 45 are still with us," he said.

But the Pawar camp has a different story. "We are confident that a majority of the MLAs will join Pawar, making us the largest Opposition party in the assembly," said a Pawar supporter. "And once the election draws near, most of the MPs who have been treated badly by the leadership will join our new party."

It is from such disgruntled elements from the Congress, who would also not like to join the BJP, that Pawar hopes to draw his strength in the coming days.

EARLIER REPORT:
Pawar refuses to spell out his allies

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