Congress keeps options open
The Congress today decided to keep its options open on forming a government and expressed its willingness to play a constructive role in forming a stable government by keeping all secular forces together.
A top ranking Congress official, after a three hour meeting of the party's working committee, said, "We are neither desperate to form a government nor will run away from the responsiblity.''
Party spokesperson V N Gadgil said the CWC thanked Sonia Gandhi, for her "herculean" efforts in campaigning for the party during the recent Lok Sabha election and requested her to help the party to arrive at a consensus on the choice of Congress Parliamentary Party chief ''to ensure total unity in the party''.
The CWC looked forward ''to a more direct, enlarged and meaningful role to be played by her in the larger interest of the country and the Congress party'', he said.
Party president Sitaram Kesri chaired the meeting which discussed the fractured verdict in the Lok Sabha election and whether the party should form the next government. All the CWC members were present at the meeting. Three chief ministers, Digvijay Singh, J B Patnaik and Lalthanwala, and senior
leader K Karunakaran attended the meeting as special invitees.
The CWC members were asked to remain in the capital for a possible meeting of the committee at short notice.
A senior CWC member said the Congress would not take a hasty decision on government-formation and would await the United Front's decision before taking its next step.
UNI
Elections '98
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