Bitter Desai rival stakes claim to Indian leadership

Press, 17 July 1979, Page 8

Bitter Desai rival stakes claim to Indian leadership

International

NZPA-Reuter

New Delhi

The Deputy Prime Minister of India (Mr Charan Singh) has resigned from the Cabinet to stake his claim to succeed the outgoing Prime Minister (Mr Morarji Desai), who resigned on Sunday.

The 76-year-old Mr Singh was expected to call on President Sanjiva Reddy late yesterday. Mr Singh, who had bitter political differences with Mr Desai, also resigned from the Janata Parliamentary Party and was elected head of the breakaway Janata (Secular) faction, set up by Mr Rai Narain after he was sacked as Health Minister several months ago.

The faction has already offered to form a government to succeed Mr Desai, who has been asked by President Roddy to continue as caretaker Prime Minister.

Also in the running for the Prime Ministership is the other Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister (Mr Jagirvan Ram), leader of India’s untouchables. He has strong support from what is left of the official Janata Party which remains the largest single party in Parlia-I ment.

The faction of the Opposition Congress Party led by the former Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi, announced on' Sunday that it would sup-1 port Mr Charan Singh, but a | final decision has still to be made.

Mr Desai's resignation letter to President Reddy was tabled in the Lower House Of Parliament (Lok Sabha),

| which met for the formal i announcement.

I It was adjourned amid noisy scenes almost immediiately after the session i opened.

The Speaker (Mr K. S. j Hedge) said: “There is no constituted Governjment at present” after the I resignation of Mr Desai’s minority Government.

Mr Desai was sitting on the Government benches but .made no statement. | A member of the Congress iParty, which had moved a no-confidence motion in the I Government last Wednesday, | attacked Mr Desai for re- | signing while the motion was i still being debated in the i House. The vote on it would (have taken place yesterday or today. Mr Desai’s Janata Government, an alliance of many factions which formed to I topple Mrs Gandhi, lost its i majority in Parliament last I week.

Thirteen of the 48 Government Ministers and 100 Janata supporters in Parliament resigned as the campaign for Mr Desai’s departure grew. I The, internal tensions which/ destroyed his Administration stemmed from political and economic policy differences w’ithin the Government, accusations of corruption against Mr Desai’s

son, Kanti, and the controversial links of one Cabinet faction with Hindu extremists.

The extremists were accused of sowing communal hatred and were blamed for Hindu-Muslim riots in which 150 people have died this year.

Mrs Gandhi told reporters in the southern city of Bangalore that the way in which the Government fell from power was disgraceful.

“Whether one likes it or not,” the former Prime Minister said, “the Government should have some prestige.”

Mr Desai, an. ascetic and deeply religious Hindu, began his political career in the early days of India’s struggle for independence from Britain.

Mrs Gandhi held him in solitary confinement for two years while she ruled India by decree. He was released only a few hours before she called the General Election which brought him to power.

The final blow to Mr Desai came when the Socialist leader and Industry Minister (Mr George Fernandes), one of Janata’s six top leaders, resigned from the Government on Sunday. Mr Desai is the first Indian Prime Minister forced to quit before completing his five-year term of office.