New Delhi, May 14: CPI(M) today indicated that Congress president Sonia Gandhi will head the new government at the Centre. "Do you want any other name? Do you require a long list," shot back CPI(M) general secretary Harkishen Singh Surjeet when asked by reporters whether any name other than Gandhi has cropped up for prime ministership.
Addressing a press conference at his residence after a hectic day of consultations with leaders of various parties, including Gandhi, Surjeet said Samajwadi Party (SP) will "participate" in the new government but remained non-committal on whether the Left parties would join the government.
Surjeet said earlier, the CPI(M) had decided not to join the government but the party will take a view on it tomorrow in Politburo meeting and ruled out any bargaining on the issue. The communist leader, who also met NCP leader Sharad Pawar today, said he also would participate in the government led by Gandhi.
When referred to Pawar's earlier opposition to Gandhi's nomination to the top post because of her "foreign origin", Surjeet said, "It is an old issue. Why do you want to raise it now? It was (an issue) long back and is over for NCP."
He said SP president Mulayam Singh Yadav had put no demands and only wanted to "go along with CPI(M)".
Asked about formulating the common minimum programme (CMP), Surjeet said, "There was no difficulty about it".
To another question whether he support setting up of a steering committee, he said, "Let the government be formed".
Asked when they will be going to the President to hand over the letter of support, Surjeet said, "Tomorrow morning we will tell you when we are going to the President". The CPM veteran said that all those who fought against the BJP should come together and help in running the government.
"We succeeded in coming together in the struggle against BJP and I am concerned first and foremost that the government be formed by those who opposed BJP," he said.
Bureau Report