The four examples applicable to the present situation were :

(1) In 1979, when Morarji Desai had resigned, the President had called upon the Congress leader Y B Chavan, who declined the offer. This was followed by the invitation to Charan Singh. At no point did Morarji Desai contest the claims of his opponents.

(2) In 1989, after the general elections, the Congress, being the single largest party, was invited by the President. Rajiv Gandhi, as the Congress president, declined the offer of government formation. Subsequently, Janata Dal leader, V P Singh was invited, who accepted the offer and formed the government with outside support from the BJP and the Left Parties.

(3) Continuing, Surjeet then came to the 1990 situation, when the BJP had withdrawn support from the Janata Dal government. At that time too, the President had called upon the Congress party (as the single largest party) to form the government, which once again it declined to do. This was followed by the BJP and the CPI(M) being called upon. After their refusal, Chandrasekhar was invited, who, with outside support from the Congress, formed the government.

(4) In 1996, the same set procedure was followed, with the President inviting the BJP, which had emerged as the single largest party in those elections. Despite being well short of a majority, the BJP chose to form the government, which however lasted only 13 days, the CPI(M) leader added. Therefore, in the present case, having been defeated on the floor of parliament, the BJP has no constitutional right whatsoever to lay any claim to further government formation.

SHAMELESS CLAMOUR FOR POWER

Surjeet was highly critical of the BJP's gameplan, and opined that never in the history of the country had any party had so shamelessly clamoured for power. The BJP is resorting to floating false names of MPs to garner support to bolster its claim. He stated that it is now operating under the guideline that 'no principles matter it is power at any cost.'

ON THE ALTERNATIVE GOVERNMENT

Regarding the forming of an alternative government, Surjeet reiterated the Party position, that the Congress should form the government with other parties rendering issue based support from outside. On the confusion prevailing due to certain parties floating the name of Jyoti Basu for prime ministership, the CPI(M) general secretary made it clear that the Party had expressed its inability to acede to this proposal, in the present situation.

On the question of the third front forming an alternative government, and the Congress supporting such an arrangement from outside, Surjeet explained that at the moment such a front was not in a position to be the alternative, and its position was not as strong as in 1996. The CPI(M) leader said that in 1996, the United Front, formed after the Lok Sabha elections, crystallised immediately because the Left was the rallying point. All the parties which became the constituents of the UF, were already having arrangements with the Left parties at the local level, he stated.