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CPP likely to appoint Dr. Manmohan Singh as new leader
New Delhi, May 19: With Congress president Sonia Gandhi refusing to take over as the Prime Minister, the Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) is likely to select Dr Manmohan Singh as its leader to head the United Progressive Alliance (UPA).
New Delhi, May 19: With Congress president Sonia Gandhi refusing to take over as the Prime Minister, the Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) is likely to select Dr Manmohan Singh as its leader to head the United Progressive Alliance (UPA).
Ms Gandhi is reluctant to accept the Prime Ministership due to pressure from her children Priyanka and Rahul on security grounds. This was conveyed to all allies and supporting parties by senior Congress leaders, including political secretaries Ahmed Patel and Oscar Fernandes, an hour after Ms Gandhi returned from the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
She first met senior leaders Arjun Singh and Dr Manmohan Singh before her decision, which came two days after the allies and supporting parties endorsed the decision of the CPP in favour of Ms Gandhi to head the government, was conveyed to the allies.
After her meeting with other senior party leaders, she sent Natwar Singh and M L Fotedar to the residence of CPI(M) general secretary Harkishen Singh Surjeet for his approval.
Congress sources said Ms Gandhi's emissaries also discussed the name of Dr Manmohan Singh as the Prime Minister. It was around 1500 hrs that other allies were contacted and Ms Gandhi's decision conveyed to them over the telephone.
Though the CPP meeting is convened, it is not for electing a new leader, but only to get approval for her reported decision to anoint Dr Manmohan Singh as the Prime Minister. Since Dr Manmohan Singh is a Rajya Sabha member, Ms Gandhi would continue to be the CPP leader.
Ms Gandhi would convey to the newly-elected members the compulsions behind her last minute change of mind.
The sources said Ms Gandhi would not succumb to any emotional appeal from her party MPs under the present circumstances.
The sources said she had decided to meet the allies jointly only after the CPP meeting because she did not want to leave room for further pressure from them, especially in the context of open utterances by DMK chief M Karunanidhi and RJD supremo Laloo Prasad Yadav that they will not accept anyone other than Ms Gandhi as the Prime Minister.
Yesterday's developments will undoubtedly delay the formation of a new government as the UPA will have to undergo all the procedures they had followed before zeroing in on Ms Gandhi after declaration of results on May 13.
It is widely believed that the confusion might prevail for a few more days as it is not sure if all the allies and supporting parties, especially the Samajwadi Party and the Rashtriya Lok Dal, would extend support to a new candidate.
Bureau Report
Ms Gandhi is reluctant to accept the Prime Ministership due to pressure from her children Priyanka and Rahul on security grounds. This was conveyed to all allies and supporting parties by senior Congress leaders, including political secretaries Ahmed Patel and Oscar Fernandes, an hour after Ms Gandhi returned from the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
She first met senior leaders Arjun Singh and Dr Manmohan Singh before her decision, which came two days after the allies and supporting parties endorsed the decision of the CPP in favour of Ms Gandhi to head the government, was conveyed to the allies.
After her meeting with other senior party leaders, she sent Natwar Singh and M L Fotedar to the residence of CPI(M) general secretary Harkishen Singh Surjeet for his approval.
Congress sources said Ms Gandhi's emissaries also discussed the name of Dr Manmohan Singh as the Prime Minister. It was around 1500 hrs that other allies were contacted and Ms Gandhi's decision conveyed to them over the telephone.
Though the CPP meeting is convened, it is not for electing a new leader, but only to get approval for her reported decision to anoint Dr Manmohan Singh as the Prime Minister. Since Dr Manmohan Singh is a Rajya Sabha member, Ms Gandhi would continue to be the CPP leader.
Ms Gandhi would convey to the newly-elected members the compulsions behind her last minute change of mind.
The sources said Ms Gandhi would not succumb to any emotional appeal from her party MPs under the present circumstances.
The sources said she had decided to meet the allies jointly only after the CPP meeting because she did not want to leave room for further pressure from them, especially in the context of open utterances by DMK chief M Karunanidhi and RJD supremo Laloo Prasad Yadav that they will not accept anyone other than Ms Gandhi as the Prime Minister.
Yesterday's developments will undoubtedly delay the formation of a new government as the UPA will have to undergo all the procedures they had followed before zeroing in on Ms Gandhi after declaration of results on May 13.
It is widely believed that the confusion might prevail for a few more days as it is not sure if all the allies and supporting parties, especially the Samajwadi Party and the Rashtriya Lok Dal, would extend support to a new candidate.
Bureau Report