Congress infighting: Bid on to oust Jharkhand Congress president Rajesh Thakur

RANCHI: The state unit of Congress has been recently tasked by its national leadership to prepare a constituency-wise assessment report for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. And as the state unit prepares to switch into election gears, a buzz about a possible change in the state leadership has suddenly begun doing the rounds.
Political circles are abuzz about a probable ouster of incumbent Jharkhand Pradesh Congress Committee (JPCC) president Rajesh Thakur in coming weeks. Seven veteran leaders, all aspiring Lok Sabha candidates, have begun lobbying in New Delhi to bag the job.
Congress sources said finance minister Rameshwar Oraon, former Mandar MLA Bandhu Tirkey, former JPCC presidents Pradeep Balmuchu and Sukhdeo Bhagat, former state minister KN Tripathy, AICC's Tripura in-charge Ajoy Kumar and former Union minister Subodh Kant Sahai are eyeing the post.
"I will not comment on this issue," Oraon told TOI on Sunday. "I am a follower of Sonia Gandhi Ji and as per her directives, I will convey internal matters of the party to her and the party's national leadership," he said.
Many within the party ranks are surprised by the speculations about Thakur's removal. "A JPCC president has a three-year term and Thakur, who was appointed in August 2021, is yet to complete two years in office. Bhagat held the office of the JPCC president for roughly four-and-a-half years," a senior party leader told TOI .
Thakur's ouster looks improbable to several insiders who claimed that he has done the groundwork to strengthen the party's grassroots, bringing about discipline by suspending MLAs and expelling erring officials and driving a hard bargain with Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) to obtain the party's share in statutory boards and committees.
However, the buzz around Thakur's replacement is being fanned by speculations that it is imperative to install a tribal or backward community president in the state to boost the party's acceptance among tribal voters during the next year's elections.
Thakur did not respond to TOI's calls and messages.
Alamgir Alam, the rural affairs minister and Congress legislative party leader, said, "The JPCC functions under the guidelines and the directives laid down by the AICC. The appointment of JPCC president is done by the AICC leadership and it is beyond our purview."