NEW DELHI, July 18: Cracks appeared in the United Front (UF) today with the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) disputing that any decision was taken at yesterday's core committee meeting on admitting the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) into the Front and the fate of the three Union Ministers belonging to the party.Stunned by the statement of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi in Chennai, the Front leaders in the Capital went into a huddle. While Front spokesman S Jaipal Reddy preferred not to join issue with him, Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPM) general secretary Harkishan Singh Surjeet, Janata Dal (JD) president Sharad Yadav and former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda maintained that the decision to deny entry to the RJD was final.However, the controversy gave an opportunity to Bihar Chief Minister Laloo Prasad Yadav to direct the three Union Ministers Raghuvansh Prasad Singh, Kanti Singh and Jainarain Prasad Nishad not to resign from the Gujral Government.The Ministers who were ready with their resignations decided to wait for the final decision of Front leaders, expected to be taken on July 25.The Front leaders are baffled over DMK's continued attack on some of its leaders in public, while maintaining complete harmony at the standing committee meet.Meanwhile, Front convenor and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said in Hyderabad that the issue of continuance of RJD Ministers in the Union Cabinet would be discussed at the Front's meeting on July 25.He told reporters,``We are continuing our efforts to resolve the issue. I am confident that it will be sorted out.''Declining to divulge the details of the issues raised by Karunanidhi, Naidu said ``It is not proper time to tell all these things. We discussed everything and our efforts will continue.''On his part, Laloo said in Patna that the RJD was a part of the UF and there was no question of ousting his party from the Front. He also threatened the UF with dire consequences if it dared to oust his party from the Front.The RJD blamed the Front spokesman for ``misleading the entire country''.Rajya Sabha MP Nagmani, a close associate of Laloo, lashed out at the Left parties, Gowda and Sharad Yadav.Union Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Raghuvansh Prasad Singh alleged that there was a deep-rooted conspiracy to split the coalition.But he singled out Reddy for virulent criticism. Alleging that he had succumbed to pressure exerted by certain quarters, Singh demanded his replacement as UF spokesman. ``A Central Minister should not function as a party spokesman,'' he quipped.Laloo defers moveBihar Chief Minister Laloo Prasad Yadav, today said he will take a formal decision on the resignation of the three RJD ministers from the Union Cabinet only after the July 25 meeting of the UF steering committee. Earlier, in a volte face, Bihar Chief Minister Laloo Prasad Yadav, today asked his three ministers in the Gujral ministry not to resign reversing his earlier decision.
