The equation between Pradesh Congress Committee and the Congress-led State Government has remained frayed mainly because of the alleged preference being accorded to alliance partner Progressive Democratic Front (PDF) MlAs who currently occupy four positions in the State Cabinet.
Amidst an atmosphere of strained political relations, both inter and intra party, a number of PCC office bearers have come out condemning “attempt to sideline the Congress organisation in the name of PDF support to the State Government”.
Criticising some PDF members for repeated
statements on the Congress party, the PCC officers also questioned Vidhan Sabha speaker Govind Singh Kunjwal for raising a finger questioning the party organisation while stressing that the State Government was in existence because of the Congress party and not the other way round.
Discontent on the issue within the Congress was brought out in the open once again by a joint statement issued by PCC vice president SP Singh, PCC chief spokesman Mathuradatt Joshi, general secretary Tarun Pant, spokespersons RP Ratudi, Manish Karnwal and Harikrishna Bhatt among
others. A joint
statement was released terming the repeated statements by independent MlAs in the State Government as unfortunate.
“On one hand the State Government advices the party organisation against making any statements regarding PDF MlAs, leaving the decision up to the party high command. On the other hand, repeated attempts are being made to threaten the party organisation in the name of Congress president Sonia Gandhi, said the PCC office bearers in their joint statement.
“The independent MlAs in the Government repeatedly make statements on Congress organisation on top of which now the Vidhan Sabha speaker Govind Singh Kunjwal too has also raised a finger at the party organisation. He is forgetting that he occupies the honoured constitutional post of the assemblay speaker and he is supposed to work for establishing coordination between the State Government and the party organisation not questioning the party organisation. The statement made by Kunjwal on his own party will have far reaching impact,” they further added.
They further pointed out that the PCC chief Kishore Upadhyay had already made it clear through the media that no statements will be made regarding the PDF members by the party organisation, adding that the decision on this issue has to be taken by the party high command which will be acceptable to all.
“On the other side, the PDF ministers in the Government are making repeated comments on the Congress party organisation as part of thought out strategy even though they do not have the right to make such
comments. The Congress party organisation had already made it clear from the start that the PCC chief is responsible,
also morally, to ascertain how to maintain the respect for party workers while how to
run the Government is the onus of the head of the Government,” added the official statement.
It went on saying, “Frther, while heading the State Government, the Chief Minister is also meant to protect interests of the party workers as the Government is because of the party organisation and not the other way round. Comments being made on the party organisation by those people occupying respected and constitutional positions in the State Government will have a damaging effect on the party.”
“We have to contest the 2017 Vidhan Sabha elections on the strength of the party organisation and workers of the party and not on the basis of the independent MlAs in the State Government. In the recent meeting of the party executive in Kausani, the
PCC chief had made it clear that no such statement will be made from the side of the party which may land the Government in an
uncomfortable situation. Despite this, the alliance leaders have continued to indulge in mockery by making statements on the party organisation to the detriment of the party,” added the statement.
The PCC office bearers also communicated to CM Harish Rawat that the mudslinging by independent MlAs on the Congress organisation should not be tolerated simply to keep the Government in office.