 |
||
|
||
|
||
The Strong objections raised by President Shankar Dayal Sharma to
the list of names forwarded by the United Front government for
accommodation in the distinguished citizens category of Rajya Sabha
is expected to heighten the discord between him and Prime Minister
H D Deve Gowda.
The Gowda government had listed five names for the category,
including Jaipal Reddy (Janata Dal), M A M Ramaswamy (TMC),
Harmohan Singh Yadav (Samajwadi Party), Kanak Singh Mangrola (MJP)
and Murli Deora (Congress) - all politicians.
However, clause 80 (a) of the Constitution dealing with the
composition of the Council of States, provides for the nomination
of 12 distinguished achievers from various artistic and social and
scientific fields.
In this background, President Sharma's strongest objections are
understood to have been reserved for the nomination of Mr Mangrola.
This, especially in view of the fact that Mr Mangrola had, in a
blatant political quid pro quo, vacated his seat in order to
accommodate central minister Y K Alagh at the behest of Shankersinh
Vaghela.
Mr Vaghela had, with the help of the Congress legislators, broken
away from the ruling BJP in Gujarat and formed an MJP-led
government at Gandhinagar. In return, Congress president Sitaram
Kesri had gone to the extent of vesting the government headed by
the MJP leader with an RSS past with "secular" credentials. At the
time of Mr Alagh's accommodation in Mr Mangrola's seat, the United
Front leadership is understood to have assured the latter that he
would figure m the list of nominations under the eminent citizens
category.
In the case of Mr Yadav, a close associate of SP supremo Muyalam
Singh Yadav, Mr Gowda is believed to have prevailed upon the SP
chief who was keen on accommodating his portage from Uttar Pradesh
during the Rajya Sabha polls late last year, that he should forego
the urge in the interests of defeating the claims of the BJP from
the state. In return, the SP chief was given the assurance that Mr
Yadav would also be accommodated later in the eminent citizens
category.
As for the Dal nominee in the list, Mr Jaipal Reddy, the United
Front leadership had only last week made him its official
spokesperson. The differences between Mr Gowda and the President on
the list of nominations to the Rajya Sabha could not have come at a
worse time for the United Front government.
Immediately after the Lok Sabha polls mid-last year, the Front
leadership had confronted the President over his decision to invite
the BJP to form the government at the Centre.
Objecting to the decision on the plea that the United Front, armed
with the support of the Congress in writing, was the first claimant
for an invitation, Front leaders had at the time visibly displayed
their displeasure with President Sharma.
|
||
|
||
|
||