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Pawar refuses to spell out his allies

The new national party to be floated by Congress rebels led by Sharad Pawar will take shape in the next three days, but a definite political line is yet to be decided.

"Our approach will be secular and the whole country knows who is secular or communal," was Pawar's refrain as he answered a volley of questions on whether his party would align with the Bharatiya Janata Party or if he considers the ruling party at the Centre secular.

Pawar, Purno Sangma and Tariq Anwar were addressing their first press conference in New Delhi after being expelled from the Congress last week.

"I don't want to spell out with which political parties we will align for the coming election till discussions on the issue are complete," Pawar said. "We have a view, but we will not disclose it now."

Replying to questions, the former Union defence minister maintained that they are individuals now and policies would be disclosed once a new party is born.

Asked if he still has problems with the Congress after president Sonia Gandhi's resignation, he quipped, "Wait for 24 hours", indicating that she may withdraw it at tomorrow's session of the All-India Congress Committee.

He said the issue of a foreign-born citizen leading the country would prominently figure in the new party's manifesto.

Pawar said his effort would be to see that the new party becomes the real Congress.

He said some members of the Congress Working Committee are talking to him informally, but refused to disclose their names.

"They face certain problems in electoral terms in their states," he said, indicating that they would part company with the Congress after the election.

Pawar said Congressmen from almost all states were offering to work with his group.

In Maharashtra, his home state, he said he anticipates support from a 'majority' of Congressmen. The new party proposes to have its first national convention at Bombay on June 10.

On the kind of economic policy the party will pursue, Pawar said it would not be "totally socialistic" and would support the concept of an open economy and liberalisation. "We propose to take the country into the 21st century and will adopt all good policies of the Congress."

Asked if he is positioning himself for the prime ministership, Pawar said, "We are concentrating on the elections."

He said Sangma, who was known to handle important issues in the Congress, would draft the constitution of the new party.

Outlining the salient points of the proposed party constitution, Sangma said it would be in tune with the country's Constitution and federal in character. The powers of the federal, state and district units would be clearly defined. The focus would be on decentralisation of power and economy. The objectives of the party would be the removal of poverty, illiteracy and unemployment, besides empowering women and youth with an emphasis on the weaker sections. It would be a "short, real and practical" instrument of the party.

Pawar said the group had some names for the proposed party, but refused to disclose them before getting clearance from the Election Commission. He said the name would have "Congress" as a suffix, and the party would opt for a new symbol.

UNI

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