Assam, Maharashtra Ministers resign; dissent mounts in Haryana too
Rebellions surfaced in three Congress-ruled State on Monday with dissidents seeking change of guards in Maharashtra, Assam and Haryana. Senior Maharashtra Cabinet Minister Narayan Rane quit from the Government and Assam Health and Education Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma followed suit. In Haryana, senior party leader Birendra Singh has revived demand for the ouster of Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda.
Rane resigned as Industry Minister for the second time since the lok Sabha poll rout. Slamming Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan for “slackness” in decision-making, Rene said he did not want to be a “partner in defeat” in Assembly elections due in October.
Rane, an aspirant for CM’s post, also expressed his displeasure with Congress’ central leadership. He had resigned earlier in May following the defeat of his son and sitting MP from Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg seat Nilesh, but it was not accepted.
A bitter critic of Chavan, Rane handed over his resignation to the Chief Minister. “I was told I will be made CM in six months. But in nine years, the promise has not been kept,” said Rane claiming that he was assured of CM’s post when he quit the Shiv Sena to join the Congress in 2005.
On the other hand, giving a new twist to the dissidence in the Assam Congress, Himanta Biswa Sarma tendered his resignation to Governor JB Patnaik and said he was not going to come back to the Ministry as long as Tarun Gogoi continued as the Chief Minister. Sarma, however, made it clear that there was no threat to the Congress Government in Assam as of now.
Sarma said that more such developments will follow in the days to come — clearly hinting that more dissident Ministers will follow him soon. “Our intentions are not to topple the Government. It would set a bad precedent. There is no threat to the Government and we are going to allow the government to function,” he said in Dispur, adding that as a disciplined soldier of the Congress party, he and the other “dissident” legislators would obey the whip issued by the party.
Sarma claimed to have the support of over 50 MlAs though only 30 accompanied him to the Raj Bhavan and rallied behind him during the day. “We have several times told the Congress high command that the party will be defeated under the current leadership,” Sarma said, adding that the high command did not pay heed and as a result the party could win only three seats in the lok Sabha polls.
Congress leaders in Delhi, however, ruled out suggestions that it was a revolt by Assam leaders against the leadership of Rahul Gandhi. Unfazed by Sarma’s resignation, the party said Gogoi enjoyed majority and dismissed suggestions that the dissidence in the state was against the Gandhi scion.
“It is not a rebellion against Rahul at all. Some people are not happy with the Chief Minister. But majority are with the Chief Minister,” Congress leader Kamal Nath said talking to the reporters outside Parliament House.
Congress president Sonia Gandhi had sent senior leader Mallikarjun Kharge as Central observer to Assam last month. Kharge had met party MlAs and PCC office-bearers and had submitted his report to Sonia.
Haryana too has been giving headache to the Central leadership after the lok Sabha drubbing. An announcement by Birender Singh that he will not contest Assembly elections under leadership of Hooda has dealt a fresh blow to the party in the State where it could secure only one seat in the lok Sabha polls this year.
Singh also claimed that he has already been approached by the BJP. Three Congress rebels won the lok Sabha polls on BJP tickets. Hooda recently survived a blow amidst reports that the party high command wanted to replace the CMs of Maharashtra, Assam and Haryana.
With another Congress leader Kumari Selja at daggers drawn with Hooda, the Chief Minister may well have his political survival at stake in the upcoming polls even as he has said that he has the support of Sonia Gandhi. Both Singh and Selja are members of the Rajya Sabha.