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Polls won't be deferred further: CEC

Cong split over bringing Sonia into politics

By Reazuddin Ahmed
Sonia Gandhi, widow of the slain Indian leader Rajiv Gandhi. Is unlikely to reverse her decision despite pressure from some leaders to become president of Congress(I) Reports from Indian capital revealed on Friday that the Congress leaders were divided on bringing Italian born Sonia Gandhi to Indian politics.
Former union minister and a senior Congfcss(l) leader Vasant Sythe said if Sonia was not willing to enter politics, the party should show collective wisdom to find an alternative. Sources In Indian capital said that the Congress leaders close to Nehru family were trying to persuade Sonia to accept the Congress leadership to keep the opportunity open for them to dominate Indian politics even without having any political roots in their respective locality. Among the close associates of Nehru family are Pronab Mukharjee who is not contesting the Lok Sabha elections. Besides. R K Dhwan is also for drafting
Sonia. But the regional leaders N D Tewari and Shared pawar are In favour of finding an alternative leader to lead the Congress to victory In the elections. The hold the view that any delay In filling leadership void tn the Congress will damage the party's electoral prospect In deferred Lok Sabha Elections on June 12 and 15. The persistence of a chaotic situation tn Congress, they (eel. will benefit other contenders for power who may exploit the situation In their farour
The political analysis sec the coming week very sensitive for all the major political parties in India. During this time the Congress. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Janata Dal-left combine will try to gain strong ground tn the backdrop of the changed scenario. The political observers In Indian capital feel that the Congress might get sympathy votes provided the party can choose a leader quickly and can persuade Sonia and Rahul to campaign for the party in the Lok Sabha elections. It Is still unclear whether Sfonla or Rahul would agree to campaign for the party at a while mourning.
Senior Congress leaders were meeting in Delhi last night to resolve the leadership crisis in the party. The party leaders earlier on Thursday met President Venkataraman
No details of the talks with the president were released to the press. But the Chief Election Commissioner Friday said he had turned down a Congress request to advance the dates of polling from June 12 and 15. He also said the elections would not be deferred further.
The Chief Election Commissioner's announcement on Friday made it imperative for Congress leaders to find a leader as soon as possible. Observers believe delay In doing so will create confusion among the party sympathisers which will go against Congress in the elections. Sonia's refusal to accept party leadership has already dampened the enthusiasm of young party supporters who raised the slogan In Delhi "Desh kl neta kalsl ho. Sonia Gandhi Jalshl ho."
Vasant Sathe suggested that P V Narashlma Rao be made the acting president of the party until the elections. He suggested that a special session of Congress (I) should be convened to elect a president of the party. Any attempt to foist some ad hoc decision, he cautioned, was liable to be misunderstood and would prove damaging for the party at this crucial hour.
Sathe. who Is a senior leader has spoken of his mind and minds of many senior leaders.
according to sources in Delhi The senior leaders want to come out of the dynasty leadership to counter the propaganda against Congress that the party leadership has been mortgaged to Nehru clan BJP is already propagating against Sonia Gandhi and many feel that she may not be an asset for Congress as she was not born In India.
Meanwhile, the move to form a national government has been finally stalled. No party agreed to President Venkataraman' suggestion to go for a national government.
The political scene In India remains unclear and political observers feel that everyone got to wait to see who Is best placed in the changed situation and who can exploit the passion of Indian people —the passion for Rajiv, passion for Hinduism and passion for the harljans.
Meanwhile, AFP adds: Rajiv Gandhi's Congress (I) party, hunting for a successor to its slain leader, stepped up pres sure ’ on his grieving widow yesterday to replace him as party president.
The first public calls urging Sonia Gandhi to resist the pressure were also voiced.
Within hours of Gandhi's funeral. Congress members of the Parliament's nominated upper house endorsed the party's decision to elect Mrs Gandhi as president, an offer she turned down Thursday.
The MP's passed a resolution supporting Mrs Gandhi's election. The party's chapter in Gandhi's homestate. Uttar Pradesh in northern India, appealed to Mrs Gandhi to reconsider her refusal.
Nine prominent Congress members from the central state of Madhya Pradesh also asked the Italian-born Mrs Gandhi to take over as chief of the party.