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Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress, the second largest party in the UPA coalition, has already raised the banner of revolt on the issue of joint operations by central and state forces against the Maoists in West Bengal.

Mamata Banerjee says joint forces are targeting innocent people and Trinamool Congress supporters. She has also been obliquely talking about quitting the Congress-led coalition, if the Centre does not take action to stop what she calls the misuse of the central forces by the West Bengal government to target political opponents of the ruling Left Front in the state.

Mamata Banerjee’s potential threat assumes significance because of the uneasy relationship between the Congress and the DMK, the party to which dropped Telecom Minister A. Raja belongs. Raja, claiming innocence in the 2G spectrum allocation scam, has repeatedly said that whatever he did in the matter was in the full knowledge of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

The Congress is on the horns of a dilemma on the issue of continuing the tie-up with M. Karunanidhi’s DMK in Tamil Nadu. Continued association with the DMK would give a handle to the opposition to assert that the Congress has been allegedly protecting corrupt elements in the UPA coalition. Breaking up with the DMK would mean looking for an alliance in Tamil Nadu with the All India Anna DMK led by J. Jayalalithaa, who is not known for sticking to any alliance. Going it alone in Tamil Nadu in next year’s Assembly elections may not be a viable option in the light of the reverses suffered by the Congress in Bihar this year.

Another difficult choice before the Congress is on Dr. Manmohan Singh’s continuance as Prime Minister. While there is no issue about Dr. Manmohan Singh’s being clean, the perception is growing among the people that corrupt elements continue to flourish in the government under his stewardship. It may be good enough for a private person to be personally honest, but a person heading an organisation or the government of a country cannot afford to turn a blind eye to the acts of corruption and wrongdoing of the men and women in his team.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi is continuing to back the Prime Minister to the hilt and has derided those trying to ‘belittle’ Dr. Manmohan Singh.

While it is good to stand up for one’s associates, one cannot but wonder if the reason for this solid defence of Manmohan Singh is the inability to find a worthy successor to him in the government.

Rahul Gandhi, whom most Congressmen would like to see succeed Dr. Manmohan Singh, is perhaps not ready to take up the challenge just now. The Congress and its president Sonia Gandhi would perhaps like him to take over at a more opportune time when the ruling coalition has overcome its contradictions and is on a surer footing. But for this, the Congress has to seize the political initiative back from the opposition; otherwise the opportunity may never come.

Attn: News Editors/News Desks: The views expressed in the above article are that of the author B.L.Saini. (ANI)