Cong leaders jittery over Osmani’s stand

From Our Spl Correspondent NEW DELHI, July 14 – The trust motion in the Lok Sabha being reduced to a numbers game, the possibility of AF Golam Osmani deserting the party camp, yet again, has caused jitters in Assam Congress leadership. An uneasy feeling has gripped the State Congress leadership following mixed signals over Osmani’s possible moves. Congress party’s crisis manager fears that he may either vote against the Government or abstain from voting, confided a senior Congress leader.Osmani, who is currently in his Barpeta constituency, has been unhappy with the State Congress leadership for a while now. Though he had voted in the Vice-President’s election in favour of Hamid Ansari, he abstained from voting in the presidential election.Union Minister of State Bijoy Krishna Handique had even rushed to his house to accompany him to Parliament, on the directions of the party, but he declined to vote. During the Vice-President’s election a group of State MPs were deputed to bring him to vote and he complied, to the relief of the Congress leadership.This time, said Congress leaders, they are unsure of his stand and though a group of Congress partymen have been deputed to convince him to vote, he has thrown confusing signals. Senior Congress leaders like political secretary to Congress president Ahmed Patel are reportedly in touch with him, sources said.The septuagenarian MP has been sore with the State leadership, which has all but declared that he would not be re-nominated. Former President, late Fakruddin Ali Ahmed’s son is tipped to be nominated from the seat. The Assam Congress has nine MPs in the Lok Sabha. Attempts to get in touch with the MP proved futile, but his personal staff at his New Delhi residence said that he was scheduled to arrive here on July 20, ostensibly to participate in the Special Session of the Lok Sabha.Meanwhile, a delegation of BPF by State Health and Family Welfare Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma landed in the Capital, here this evening, to meet Congress president, Sonia Gandhi and pledge their support to the UPA Government. The BPF has one MP, SK Bwiswmutiary in the Lok Sabha.Sources said that the delegation also proposed to formally express their gratitude for appointing R.S.Mooshahary as the Governor of Meghalaya, when they meet Gandhi here tomorrow.The UPA, however, content with its endeavour in the North-east, as smaller regional parties, notwithstanding their opposition to the Congress, have sent positive vibes to vote for the ruling combine.Senior Congress leader and Union Minister for Labour, Oscar Fernandes is closely monitoring the negotiations with Nagaland Peoples Front, the Sikkim Democratic Front and the Mizo National Front (MNF), besides independent MP Mani Charengamei. The three Hill States have one Lok Sabha MP each. Party sources expressed satisfaction at the outcome of the negotiations and said they are confident of securing four additional votes from the North-east. With this, the UPA is likely to secure 17 votes from the Region.The AGP is expected to vote with the BJP and against the nuclear deal, while the Saffron Party would get two more from Arunachal Pradesh. The CPM is going to get support from Tripura where it has two MPs. source: assam tribune