Battling anti-incumbency in the run up to the lok Sabha elections next month, the Congress is faced with strong dissensions within its ranks ahead of the Central Election Committee (CEC) meeting on Wednesday.
Union Ministers Manish Tewari, Subodh Kant Sahai and GK Vasan have either expressed their dissent or are making moves to embark on new ventures, party men from Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Bihar and Tamil Nadu have brought their infighting to the doors of AICC headquarters.
Tewari is not willing to re-contest from ludhiana and is more inclined to fight from Chandigarh from where the party is interested in fielding former Rail Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal. Tewari has maintained that the Congress should not get into legalities and instead not give tickets to those who are facing even allegations of corruption. Shipping Minister GK Vasan has ruled himself out of contest after expressing dismay over the party’s delay in announcing its poll strategy for Tamil Nadu.
With the party not announcing the Ranchi lok Sabha candidate in the first list, sitting MP Subodh Kant Sahai rushed to AICC late on Monday to lodge his protest. There is speculation about him, like several other disgruntled Congress leaders in Jharkhand and Bihar, joining the Trinamool Congress (TMC).
Former Bihar PCC Mehboob Ali Kaiser is said to be in touch with TMC, AICC ex-General Secretary lalit Mohan Singh is seeking a ticket from Mamata Banerjee’s party to contest the Patliputra seat from where RJD chief lalu Prasad has fielded her daughter. In Jharkhand, former Rajya Sabha member of Congress Stephen Marandi and Congress leaders Manoj Yadav moved to BJP.
In Rajasthan, Congress MlA Bhanwarlal Sharma resigned on Tuesday from Congress after hurling abuses on senior State leadership including CP Joshi, Ashok Gehlot, Sachin Pilot and also the High Command. Sharma is likely to join BJP as he met Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje Scindia.
The septuagenarian Sharma, though bedridden, was considering himself a lok Sabha contender from the Churu Parliamentary constituency currently represented by BJP’s Ram Singh Kaswan, said an AICC functionary from Rajasthan. On learning that Rahul has preferred a young turk, Ratan Sharma, the disgruntled MlA protested and launched a severe attack on Congress during Rahul’s Rajasthan poll tour.
Kaswan won against Congress’ Rafik lal Mandelia by only 12,000 margin in last lok Sabha polls and the Congress and State Unit PCC is eyeing this seat this polls which has a large number of Brahmin electorates.
Some of those certain to figure in Rajasthan’s list but facing resistance from other leaders are former Union Minister CP Joshi. However, Rajbala Ola, daughter-in-law of former Union minister Sis Ram Ola, who died recently, and former parliamentarian from Sriganganagar Shankar Pannu are certain since they made it from the primaries. Ola will contest from Jhunjhunu and Pannu from Bikaner.
Since Narendra Modi has not announced his constituency, Congress is yet to take a call on whom to field him against him. PCC presidents Sachin Pilot, Arun Yadav, Ashok Tanwar are likely to make it to this list as the party has no choice.
The lok Sabha candidates for Delhi are also likely to figure in CEC. Ajay Maken, who cleared the primaries round, will be the candidate from New Delhi, Sandeep Dikshit would make it from East Delhi and Union Minister Kapil Sibal from Chandni Chowk. Candidates for other four seats in Delhi is said to be disputed and a final call would be taken only on Wednesday CEC meeting. Delhi goes to polls on April 10.