Sonia's tough stance
From Shubhabrata Bhattacharya
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Sept 24 — The Congress President, Mrs Sonia Gandhi, struck a strong posture against the Union Government today while touring the flood-hit areas of West Bengal.

The setting chosen by her was most appropriate — Berhampore in Left Front-ruled West Bengal. Significantly her stand was almost identical with that taken by the West Bengal Left Front Committee, on the move to impose President’s rule in Bihar.

According to reports, Mrs Sonia Gandhi, opposing the Centre’s move, said: "It is utterly unconstitutional, undemocratic and smacks of a very narrow political aim", and categorically stated that her party would oppose the imposition of President’s rule in Bihar "in every possible way".

In Calcutta, the Left Front passed a resolution stating that the move in Bihar was a "blow" to the Constitution and "autocratic step to destroy the democratic system".

Meanwhile, a statement has been issued from Chennai by the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president along with the state level leaders of the Rashtriya Janata Dal, Samajwadi Party and the United Congress Party of India (UCPI) announcing a joint programme of agitation, including a "rail roko" programme, tomorrow to protest against the Centre’s move on Bihar.

Thus, wily nily, the BJP government’s move has managed to bring the scattered Opposition across the country on a common platform of agitation tomorrow. The impact of the call given for tomorrow is overshadowed by the very fact of statement of common intent by the Congress, the Left and other parties opposed to the BJP.

The recently held CPI party congress in Chennai has paved the way for future cooperation between this party and the Congress. The CPM’s party congress in Calcutta in the second week of October is likely to have a similar impact.

The pitch is being queered. A lot will depend on the outcome of the Assembly elections in November. The winter session of Parliament will see the thawing of past prejudices among the anti-BJP parties. However, from present indications, it seems the Budget session, due in February, 1999, could prove to be the watershed.