It is understandable that despite Mr. Morarji Desai’s strong objection, the executive of the Janata parliamentary party has once again decided to postpone the election of a new committee. Whatever the result, a trial of strength among the JPP constituents at this stage would have complicated the task of men like Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee, Mr. George Fernandes and Mr. Biju Patnaik who are trying to end the tension in the party resulting from Mr. Charan Singh’s and Mr. Raj Narain’s resignations from the Union cabinet. But this cannot explain the decision to put off the election till May next year. After all, the mediatory efforts cannot continue all that long. These must end one way or another well before the conclusion of the monsoon Parliament on August 25 for the good and simple reason that Mr. Charan Singh has to decide by then whether or not he will make a statement detailing the circumstances leading to his resignation. The threatened or promised (depending on one’s predilection) statement need not necessarily involve on his part a decision to quit the Janata and form another party. But it will without doubt destroy whatever little possibility there is of reconciliation between the Prime Minister and him.
Since the initiative for putting off the election has come from the supporters of Mr. Charan Singh, it is difficult to resist the conclusion that they were not confident of doing well. However strong their desire for reconciliation in the party, they would in all probability not have been as keen on postponement of the poll as they were if they were sure of re-electing Mr. S.N. Mishra and Mr. R.K. Amin to the offices of deputy leader and treasurer of the JPP from which they had resigned following Mr. Charan Singh’s decision to quit the cabinet. It is equally notable that Mr. Vajpayee should have backed their plea so vigorously as to invite a clash with the Prime Minister and party leader, Mr. Desai. This was, of course, an indication of his determination to continue to pursue his mediatory effort despite heavy odds. But the fact that the other mediators were not as outspoken as he would suggest that he was perhaps guided by some other consideration as well. It is not easy to identify that consideration. But since it is well known that the Jana Sangh leaders have not been of one mind in the current controversies in the Janata, it is not inconceivable that he was also anxious to ensure that the division among them was not exposed to public view. But this anxiety, too, cannot be regarded as a satisfactory explanation for the decision to put off the poll for as long as nine months. And in the face of all this, it is difficult to believe that the proposed organisational elections in the Janata would be held in accordance with the present schedule.