The Congress is in trouble in Chhattisgarh now. Its old warhorse Ajit Jogi on Thursday raised a banner of revolt, threatening to form a new party over his alleged reservation against Rahul Gandhi’s elevation as Congress president and accusing the Congress of being the BJP’s “B team” in the State. The party hit back with AICC general secretary Digvijay Singh saying it would be beneficial for the party if Jogi leaves.
The latest trouble in Chhattisgarh follows the Congress’s woes in Arunachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Meghalaya-all ruled by it. While it got reduced to its lowest ever tally in the lok Sabha, it even lost power in Assam and Kerala in the just concluded Assembly polls.
While Jogi said that he is under tremendous pressure from his supporters to quit the Congress and float a new party to challenge the Raman Singh Government, his move could be linked to the speculation about the expected elevation of Rahul Gandhi as the party president.
Rahul had expelled Ajit’s son Amit Jogi over alleged “fixing” of a 2014 Assembly bypoll to ensure the ruling BJP’s win in Chhattisgarh almost six months ago. Jogi, however, denied his plan to quit the Congress has anything to do with it.
He may announce the formation of the new party in Marwahi, his birthplace on June 6. “Around 15,000 people are talking to me personally or on phone. I am under tremendous pressure from my well-wishers, supporters and friends that if Chhattisgarh has to be made free from Raman Singh, then I will have to take this big step. Otherwise, Raman Singh will win the State for the fourth time as well since there is no hope from the Congress, which is playing as B Team of Raman Singh,” Jogi said.
Jogi’s rebellion, sources said, may also be an indication of the Congress old guard’s attempt to show dissatisfaction to work under Rahul, when reports suggest that there could be a generational change in the party during the Chintan Shivir soon.
A senior Congress leader said that Jogi’s move may affect the unity of the Congress in other States as well and the high command should not take such rebellions causally, misguided by their chosen coterie.
Chhattisgarh Congress general secretary Shailesh Nitin Trivedi said the party has decided to expel Ajit Jogi from the party.”The Working Committee of the Congress has decided to expel Jogi. His statements against the party are doing harm to the party,” Trivedi said.
On June 6, Jogi has also called 5,000 of his core supporters from all over the State. To a question about whether he talked to the leadership in this regard, Jogi said,” enough of talks have taken place in last three years. Now there is compulsion.”
Reacting sharply to his remarks, Jogi’s old rival AICC general secretary Digvijay Singh, former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister, recalled his role in the Antagarh Assembly bypoll and referred to the audio tape regarding “fixing” of the election by Jogi.
“The manner in which Jogi has sold off Congress candidate Manturam Pawar to the BJP is for all of you to see. It is beneficial for the Congress if such persons leave the party, who are engaged in trading the declared candidate of Congress for some crores of rupees,” Singh said.
Soon after the Assam loss, Singh had called for a major surgery required within the party followed by reactions in bits from others corners -- including senior party leader and the face of party in Punjab Assembly elections Capt Amarinder Singh, who couple of days ago, advocated Rahul to take over as the party chief.
On January 6, cracking the whip over the issue of alleged fixing of Antagarh bypoll, the AICC had expelled Amit Jogi for six years and sought a report from the State unit on the entire matter. The next day, Chhattisgarh unit of Congress had submitted a report to the AICC demanding “sacking” of Ajit Jogi.