THE former Indian prime minister, Mr P.V. Narasimha Rao yesterday stepped dawn as leader of the Congress party's parliamentary delegation, his last party post, amid a flurry of corruption charges.
"I submit my resignation from the leadership of the Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP)," his single-line resignation letter said.
Mr Rao (75), who spearheaded India's move away from economic controls to open markets, led the country from 1991 until last May when the 111 year old Congress suffered its worst electoral defeat.
Mr Rao had been given an ultimatum to quit by the Congress president, Mr Sitaram Kesri, after parliamentary deputies passed a resolution on Wednesday asking him to resign in the interests of the party's unity.
The shaky ruling United Front coalition of the Prime Minister, Mr H.D. Deve Gowda, depends on Congress for crucial support. The government needs the support of the Congress party, which controls 142 deputies in the 545 member lower house, to survive.
Mr Rao has been charged in three separate corruption cases but denies any wrongdoing.
The allegations forced him to step down as Congress president in September.
The campaign to drive him from the last pedestal of power was part of a broader effort to revive Congress's flagging fortunes. Analysts expect Mr Rao's departure will lead to a tussle among Congress heavyweights for control of the party's parliamentary bloc, giving the United Front some breathing space.
"Congress is facing a crisis of leadership. There is no natural leader. Nobody has a track record one can trust," the political columnist, Mr Kewal Varma, said.
Mr Yubaraj Ghimire, assistant editor of Oudook magazine, said Mr Rao's power base in the party had been eroded by the delay in his resignation. "Had there been some grace, had he resigned a few days ago, he would have had some role in leadership," he added.
Mr Varma said leaders like Mr Sharad Pawar, widely seen as the prime contender along with Mr Kesri himself in a race to succeed Mr Rao as head of the parliamentary delegation, lacked the necessary appeal to consolidate the Congress.
However, Mr Rao's departure is seen as a boon to reforming the party.
SOUND & VISION
12
HOT LICKS
How was it for you?
By BRIAN BOYD
TOUGH one, this so many thrilled, excited and enlightened. But with a gun to your head and only five to choose, it's got to be done. There was no huge, as in really, really huge album this year something with the cross over appeal of a Definitely Maybe or a Maxinqaaye but there was plenty of quality in them there grooves this year, and most of it from the most surprising of quarters. More discursive accounts will follow over the next few days, but for the moment we round up a few people who know what they are talking about (and me) and ask them for their vinyl highlights. After a lot of shouting and screaming and incredulous glances at other people's choices, here's what we came up with. For fear of solicitor's letters, we stress that none of the lists is in any particular order.
Brian Boyd:
1.Screaming Trees - Dust
2.Norma Waterson - Norma Waterson
3.Nick Cave - Murder Ballads
4.Genius/GZA - Liquid Swords
5.Manic Street Preachers - Everything Must Go
Dave Fanning, 2FM
1.Manic Street Preachers - Everything Must Go
2.Underworld - Second To ugh est In The Infants
3.The Beatles - Anthology 3
4.Ash - 1977
5.Fun Lovin' Criminals - Come Find Yourself
Q Magazine:
1.Ash - 1977
2.Ocean Colour Scene - Mosley Shoals
3.Ben Folds Five - Ben Folds Five
4.R.E.M. - New Adventures In Hi-Fi
5.Sting - Mercury Falling
Michael Ross, Sunday Times:
1.Underworld - Second Toughest In The Infants
2.Audioweb - Audioweb
3.Altan - Backwater
4.Pet Shop Boys - Bilingual
5.Divine Comedy - Casanova
Donal Dineen, No Disco:
1.DJ Shadow - Endtroducing
2.Rachel's - The Sea And The Bell
3.Beth Orton - Trailer Park
4.Aphex Twin - Richard D. James
5.Trash Can Sinatras - A Happy Pocket
There you have it no outright winner this year, reflecting the diversity of stuff on offer and "rock" music's continuing diversification into myriad strands. Long may it continue.
OUT and about: You wouldn't want to be forgetting about Shane McGowan and The Popes, who are at the Olympia tonight and tomorrow night (late) while if you're up for an Abba flavoured party, check out the Christmas Special at The Point next Monday night when Bjorn Again do their thing ... I'm sorry, but the whole Mundy thing is lost on me, can't understand it at if you're into it, though, he goes out on a short Irish tour starting at the Theatre Royal, Limerick on the 27th and going on to Grants Hotel, Roscrea on the 29th, Roisin Dubh, Galway on the 30th and Whelans on the 31st... One of the best bands to emerge this year and very highly tipped to do something serious next year are The Bedhangers. Check out the future sound of Irish rock at the Da Club this very night ... If you want some lipstick futuristic slink kink glitter ball type of night out, you'll be heading up tomorrow night to the Red Box (above the POD) to check out Powderbubble. Doors open at 10 p.m., it runs till late and there's no door policy (way to go). Next week the jury returns and gives its verdict on all that grooved and all that didn't in the past year.