"We Should Remain United"

ONE day, Sharad Pawar was comrade, friend in need, and potential focus of a concerted anti-Rao rebellion. Next, he was an apologist for Rao, mouthing that old, familiar argument—the party is in a crisis and "we should remain united under the leadership". Not that he is the sole man being accused of playing the villain. Ghulam Nabi Azad, another CWC member, has been attracting similar epithets as the pro-overhaul campaign threatened to peter out in a string of false starts. The votaries of the 'dump Rao, revive party' argument—six CWC members led by K. Karunakaran and Rajesh Pilot—decided to distance themselves from Pawar for good. Once he capitulated, Pawar's fate became tied to Rao's—and both face the wrath of the rebels, who are just marking time till the BJP's 'defeat' on the floor of the House.

What agitated the rebels most was H.D. Deve Gowda's revelation that the Congress was not interested in extending unconditional support to a Third Front government. In fact, a pro-Rao AICC general secretary even suggested that Pawar be inducted as deputy prime minister in the Deve Gowda cabinet and that Rao should head a coordination committee of the ruling coalition members.

Since the Left parties had made it clear that they would support only a non-Congress, non-BJP government from outside, Deve Gowda rejected the proposal outright. But being shrewd enough to impose his agenda on others, Rao made Deve Gowda shuttle between Rashtrapati Bhavan and 7, Race Course Road. The message: 'I am important enough to make or unmake the prime minister'. The 'delayed letter' episode was not a mere slip. And Pawar, despite his close friendship with Deve Gowda, acted in full knowledge of what Rao had up his sleeve.