R Krishna Das
The reported reluctance of Rajiv Gandhi to back Pranab Mukherjee had resulted in Congress failing to form government at the centre in 1990.
After BJP withdrew support from the Janata Dal government following the arrest of Lal Krishna Advani in Bihar, VP Singh resigned as Prime Minister. Majority of MPs did not want to go to the fresh elections as not even a year was completed.
The Congress party was keeping a close watch on the development. A few senior Congress leaders were in touch with a faction of Janata Dal leaders headed by Chandra Shekhar.
While the flurry of activities was on, senior Congress leader Makhan Lal Fotedar met President R Venkataraman and discussed the political situation. Asserting that Congress could form a strong government, he urged the President to invite Rajiv Gandhi to head the next government as he was the leader of the single largest party in the Lok Sabha.
“On this the President directed me, with an emphasis of authority, that I may put it to Rajiv Gandhi that if he supported Mr Pranab Mukherjee to be prime minister, he would administer the oath of office to him (Mukherjee) the same evening,” Fotedar said in his political memoir The Chinar Leaves.
Fotedar asked: “Sir, how can that be done?” Venkataraman said with an aura of authority that he must know that the President had the power to appoint the Prime Minister. The Congress leader came back and reported the development to Rajiv Gandhi.
“Rajivji was also astounded by R.V. stands,” Fotedar said, adding that the Congress party was running out of options and Rajivji ultimately took the controversial decision of supporting Chandra Shekar from outside. The government could last 223 days as Congress withdrew support.
Even Indira Gandhi had preferred Pranab Mukherjee politically over her son Rajiv. In early August 1980, Indira Gandhi called Fotedar and asked to make an assessment as to who amongst Pranab Mukherjee and P V Narasimha Rao could have acceptability or relevance in the country. Basically, she was asking who after her.
