With Narendra Modi’s prospect of being anointed as Prime Minister high, Congress is pinning hopes on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her Tamil Nadu counterpart J Jayalalithaa — since both are expected to hold on to their own in their respective seats, to stop the Gujarat strongman. The Congress is now sending out feelers that it was not averse to backing Mamata, Jayalalithaa or for that matter, even former UP CM Mayawati, if things came to that.
In what is being seen as the party’s alternate plans, a section of Congress leaders have already come forward to heap praises on Mamata and simultaneously praise the “secular” credentials of leaders like Jayalalithaa though without naming her.The remarks come a day after Congress President Sonia Gandhi indicated to party workers to get in touch with secular and like-minded people to send the “stop Modi” SOS to regional parties. Mamata had been an UPA ally and also in the NDA in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee regime but the relationship between the two soured as the two launched direct attacks against each other.
Congress leader Rashid Alvi suggested that all regional secular parties should come together and elect West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee as the leader to keep BJP out of power. Admitting that it may be difficult for Congress to form the government, Alvi said, “It may be difficult for us to form the government, but all secular forces should come together to keep Narendra Modi away from power.” He suggested that all regional secular parties should come together and elect their leader.
“Congress will never hesitate to form a secular government. I suggest that regional parties should elect the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, who is secular and competent enough and that there has been no PM from southern India since long,” said another senior Congress leader requesting anonymity.In the meantime, the media team of Congress underwent a training session by its AICC communications head Ajay Maken on how to face the media on the day of results on Friday. The spokespersons have been provided with a statistics sheet and have been asked to maintain decorum, not to get angry on any type of questions and present themselves and party’s viewpoint with all humility. The spokespersons too heaved a sigh of relief when informed that party vice president Rahul Gandhi too would be briefing the media at some point of time.
Amid the plans to insulate the Gandhis from the blame for the party’s widely predicted defeat, party general secretary Digvijay Singh said that no Congress leader including the party vice president has taken any shield in any circumstance. “We can take victory and defeat in the same spirit. Wait for tomorrow,” Singh said adding that Rahul has never taken shelter against any adversity and therefore his hiding behind the screen is absolutely ruled out.