M A I N   N E W S

Ex-PMs may forge front
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, March 28 — The four former Prime Ministers, who met yesterday for the second time to take stock of the situation prevailing in the country, today gave an indication of their inclination to forge a front in a bid to provide an alternative to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) at the Centre.

Mr V.P. Singh, Mr Chandra Shekhar, Mr H.D. Deve Gowda and Mr I.K. Gujral, addressing a crowded press conference at the residence of Mr Gowda, issued a statement primarily in connection with various issues facing the nation.

But then said they had come together to study reactions. Mr Chandra Shekhar was the most candid and said they would hold talks with the CPM leader, Mr Jyoti Basu, to elicit his views on how best a third front could again be forged.

In what seems to be an attempt to try and provide an alternative to the parties which were part of the erstwhile United Front, Mr Shekhar said they would welcome anyone who wanted to join them in their common cause. It also seemed an indication to the parties formerly part of the United Front but now with the NDA that they could have an alternative in the future.

The four also wanted former Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao to join their caucus. But the former Congress Prime Minister has so far chosen to stay away.

The four denied that they were making attempts to forge a “morcha” (front) but made it clear that they were not going to stop and would go to the people with their views.

Mr Shekhar said in no uncertain terms that the Congress was not fulfilling its role of an effective Opposition.

Mr Gujral said they were not interested in a party, “but then the nation’s interests cannot be confined just to a political party.”

Mr V.P. Singh, the “Mandal messiah” who has stayed away from active politics for some time now, and Mr Deve Gowda, who has been in political wilderness after losing the last Lok Sabha elections, let the other two do most of the talking. Whenever a question was put specifically to Mr V.P. Singh, about his future political plans, he shot back. “Ask me this when I call a press conference.”

Mr V.P. Singh has been trying to be in the limelight in the past few weeks, taking up the cause of jhuggi-dwellers in North-West Delhi who were to be evicted. He went on a fast against the move and stayed in the slums the night before the jhuggis were to be bulldozed.

In a joint statement, the four expressed concern at various issues, including the Gujarat Government’s order on the RSS, Constitution review, carnage in Jammu and Kashmir and the economic situation. They said while intellectuals and legal experts had the right to discuss the working of the Constitution, only elected legislatures had the right to review it. Any shortcuts in this context could not be commended.

The four former PMs had strong views on Jammu and Kashmir, specially the Kargil conflict. They gave the entire credit to the armed forces for repelling the attack.

“Some foreign powers were claiming credit for it,” Mr Gujral explained.

They said poverty was on the rise and unemployment continued to be nation’s main problem. They pointed out that private and foreign capital could not supplant government in critical areas.