Post-poll rumblings keep Congress brass on edge

NEW DELHI: The limbo caused by uncertainty over Congress chief Rahul Gandhi’s offer to resign following the party’s debacle has spurred infighting in various state units, with the possibility of desertions also worrying senior leaders, who feel that state of drift needs to be addressed swiftly.
Senior Congress leader Veerappa Moily, who went public with his concerns on Friday, said he has received support from party colleagues who feel that Rahul must put an end to uncertainty over his resignation and take control of the organisation to sort out burgeoning differences in state units.
“He must take a decision. And this is not the time to quit the party post. Rahul Gandhi should remember that Indira Gandhi faced a similar situation in 1977 but was prevailed upon to continue. He should take control of the organisation and address issues in state units and set the direction of the party,” Moily told TOI on Saturday.
Moily said his remarks that Rahul Gandhi should select an alternative if he did not want to continue had not been correctly understood. “I am saying such a step is not an immediate option. First Rahul Gandhi must take charge, he must take a decision. He can consider his options later if that is needed,” he said.
The fallout of Congress’s Lok Sabha performance, where it improved on its 2014 tally by just eight to reach 52 seats, has been felt in Rajasthan, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra where tensions within the party have risen to the surface and are threatening to take an ugly turn. While BJP was expected to have the upper hand in head-to-head contests, the wipeout in some big states and the near whitewash in others has stunned Congress.
With a state unit meeting a few days ago ending in acrimony, former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda has invited party MLAs and senior leaders for discussions to decide future course of action. Hooda has demanded removal of party chief Ashok Tanwar.
Hooda’s camp feels the Congress party high command has not learnt any lesson after a rout in Haryana and the prospects for the assembly polls in September could be equally bleak. At the same time, Hooda’s detractors point out that both he and son Deepinder lost their seats which were supposed to be Jat strongholds.
In Maharashtra, former chief minister Ashok Chavan has faced a reverse himself and there is no immediate replacement in sight. The departures of senior Maratha leaders to BJP has further aggravated the situation and there are reports of more MLAs from Congress and NCP eyeing the saffron option.
In Karnataka, the already strained Congress-JD(S) alliance has been rocked by BJP winning 25 of 28 seats. With Congress and JD(S) winning a seat apiece, there is an attempt to bolster the government by inducting some independents. This has led to resentment of disgruntled Congress MLAs peaking and it is to be seen if the balancing act actually stabilises the state government.
In Punjab, chief minister Amarinder Singh has acted to downsize Navjyot Singh Sidhu, despite the impression that the former cricketer is close to the Gandhi family. Singh has indicated that he will not tolerate Sidhu’s constant sniping and does not seem to be in the mood to accept compromises. It is unclear how far the chief minister consulted the central party before acting against Sidhu.