This disillusion (among the) masses is phenomenal. For one thing, they were not used to a perpetual state of coalition politics. There is a lurking interest today to return to one-party rule. For that purpose, there is a reluctance on the part of the Congress leadership to repudiate one-party (and to) hold out hopes of a resumption of the Congress rule ... This is nothing but fond hopes ... There is not the ghost of a chance to go in for a one-party rule. Coalition politics has just become inescapable. ...
... The present government had the United Front, buttressed by the Congress to ensure a majority in the Lok Sabha ... Even in the selection of the United Front Prime Minister, the Congress President had a hand ...
This ... every (tremor) within the Congress party could be felt in the United Front. After the experience of UP (the BJP had) hoped that a similar act would be repeated at the Centre ... Such a possibility was spelt out by Kalyan Singh and later on, though indirectly, by A.B.Vajpayee. This would have been disastrous ... as it would shaken the very roots of the Indian politics ...
... This does not mean that within the Congress there are no elements which are not inclined towards the BJP. The fact of the matter is that they themselves would not like to take the initiative for such a repudiation of the Congress stand against the BJP.
... It was not expected of the Congress to get a chunk of the BJP (but) hoped to get a slice of the United Front ...
The fact of the matter is that those who would go over, would be virtually guilty of defection, even if it were called by another name ... In the murky atmosphere created by corruption ... a member of the Lok Sabha would hardly hold on his own ... A fresh election ... is a costly business, but the Indian Constitution can provide no other solution to the thorny question when an elected MP chooses to shift his allegiance from one party to another. (Source: The Mainstream, 6 December, 1997)
