Willing to spread its wings in Santhal Pargana region, a Herculean task — feel even partymen, State Congress chief Sukhdeo Bhagat will begin a three-day tour from December 4. However, the party strategists are wary about bug from inside, notwithstanding the uphill job at hand.
What worries the party is the disgruntlement of some of its leaders, especially those coming from the region, quite known as backyard of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) over the years.
“This is already in our mind and we have worked on that as well. All the local leaders of the party have been told to evade any issue coming in the way and make sure that the tour is a success. The party State president would hold meetings with district party presidents and other office bearers along with ClP leader Alamgir Alam and discuss the ways the party should work locally,” said PCC spokesperson lal Kishore Nath Shahdeo.
Recently, the State Congress has seen serious uprising in the form of its Jamtara legislator Irfan Ansari. He along with his handful of supporters is on ‘Sukhdeo Hatao’ mission right from Ranchi to Delhi and in this order has brought out series of ‘revelations’ against the incumbent chief.
The warring MlA has openly declared that State Congress is not safe in the hands of Bhagat and his activities have weakened the party all over Jharkhand. Irfan taking along his counterpart from Barhi Manoj Yadav has even paid a visit to party national vice-president Rahul Gandhi in Delhi to make sure that happen. The first time MlA is the only along with Pakur legislator Alamgir Alam who represents the region into the party.
“We have taken note of that and of his activities. It has been noticed that Irfan was seen completely with JMM inside and outside the Assembly when it was into the winter session recently. All things have been reported to the high command and also his conduct during the visit of the PCC president would be reported accordingly,” said a party general secretary.
Insiders at the same time admit that the trip of Sukhdeo Bhagat is in fact a step forward in the direction of mitigating Irfan Ansari’s plank. “He had alleged the PCC president of being negligent towards the issues of people and disconnect from grass root party workers. His tour would send out a message to one and all that he has a serious business at hand and is working towards well being of the party in the State,” said he. The PCC president would during his stay visit Pakur, Rajmahal, Sahebgunj and Dumka that also covers Jamtara.
On the other the programme has taken the MlA by surprise, who is yet to chalk-out his course of action into all this counter narrative. “I have heard about this (that he is coming) but do not know officially. It is a programme of the party. I will talk about this later,” said Ansari, searching for his words.