Sonia Gandhi, the UPA chairperson, has called upon a meeting of the top party functionaries on Saturday to take stock of the current political situation arising out of the stalemate caused by the Left's obduracy. The meeting would also assist Ms. Gandhi in taking the next crucial step on the nuclear deal by gauging the mood of the party leaders.
Although the Congress leaders are united to back the Prime Minister on the nuclear agreement, but the Manmohan Singh's government are understood to be caught in ripple owing to the allies' unambiguous warning not to go ahead on the deal sans Left, as no alliance partner wants to precipitate the crisis culminating into the early elections. Early elections owing to present soaring inflation do not suit their political prospects and it could turn the electorates switch to other party. Almost all the leaders admit the nuclear deal is not an election-issue.
Last week when the government's chief interlocutor on the nuclear deal, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, was away from the country, Sonia Gandhi had held meeting with the key allies' leader separately, but the Saturday meeting was going to be her first high-level consultation with the general secretaries on the matter. Generally such kinds of meetings are presided over by the party treasurer Motilal Vora except some unusual vital issues.
Sources say that the discussions could be followed by the Congress Working Committee meeting -the party's highest policy making body-to be held by next week.
Prime Minister's camp, however, could get assurance from the UPA chairperson as what she said in the latest edition of the party's mouthpiece- Congress Sandesh. She writes, "I have no hesitation in extending to him on behalf of myself and all of you, congratulations for the achievements of the government. It is not often we have a leader who lets his work speak for himself rather than lofty speeches."
It was, coincidently, the answer of CPM leader Prakash Karat's article published in the party's mouthpiece, where he blamed Manmohan Singh for the ongoing crisis and also said the Congress would be responsible if the elections occur before the scheduled time.
The forthcoming week or a couple of week is being expected to be full of events. The Samajwadi party could play a decisive role in case the government decides to go ahead with the deal followed by the Left's withdrawal of support or else if the confidence motion is tabled before the parliament, as it is the solitary party upon which support the Manmohan Singh's government could hope to survive.
Indications are floating in the media that Samajwadi party's political compulsions in the Uttar Pradesh is gradually inching it closer to the Congress to make a fresh alliance with it. Congress' eyes are stuck on the July 3 meeting of the UNPA (United National Progressive Alliance) when the SP would expectedly disclose its trump card to support the UPA on the nuclear deal or not.
In order to wooing the SP, the Congress on its part has reinforced its effort by allowing to clear backlog of OBCs (Other Backward Castes) in government services apart from the total of 50% reservation in a year mandated under the Constitution. It is all evident that SP's chief electoral base is OBCs.
It would be interesting to see whether the Congress' latest political mantra fetch the Samajwadi Party's support.
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