Ramesh, Hariprasad’s role raises eyebrows
The Tuesday ‘chintan shivir’ organised by the Jharkhand Congress have left many of its leaders sulking. Also the dissatisfied lot does not have much hope for any change in the fate of the party in the Assembly polls for which it is doing all the hard work.
The ‘shivir’ has sent invitations only to 77 leaders which include all Congress MlAs and Ministers and handfuls of vice-presidents and general secretaries of the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC). Though the list would see representations from most of the districts but has missed out some bigger names in the State Congress.
“I have not got any invitation to attend the meeting. I do not know the reason,” said senior party leader Radha Krishna Kishore who besides being a media committee member is also an AICC member from Jharkhand. Notably Kishore was one of the leaders who had opposed the decision of the party to shake hands with the JMM and form a coalition government in the State. The party had to suffer a blank in the
parliamentary elections losing the lone seat it had in 2009.
Another senior leader opposed the heightened role being played by national faces namely Jairam Ramesh and BK Hariprasad into local affairs. “What is the logic behind intrusting faith once again on leaders like Ramesh who has fared so badly in the pollsIJ What have been the achievements of the leaders in the performance of the CongressIJ In my opinion they are the persons should be held responsible for the state of affairs in the party in Jharkhand,” he said.
Senior party leader and former Ranchi MP Subodh Kant Sahay also questioned the sincerity behind such an exercise. “If at all such meeting is to take place it should have been conducted at grassroots level involving common party workers and voters. I don’t think discussing in AC hotel is going to serve any purpose,” said Sahay who was at the receiving end during the recent lok Sabha polls from Ranchi. Moreover, the party leadership in Jharkhand is banking much on such meetings which, it believes, would help in resurrecting the performance and arrest the freefall the party is passing though.
“We have not only to retrospect but also prepare for the future elections. This needs specific feedbacks from those who matter. Seniority is not a matter here. Those who have been with the party even in its heydays have been called for their suggestions,” said a party functionary.
11 tables comprising seven leaders each out of the 77 invited would brainstorm the five specific agendas given and reasons behind scathing defeat the party had to face apart from the areas which would have to be improved upon ahead of the November poll. All the tables thereafter would submit pointed recommendations to the central table headed by PCC president Sukhdeo Bhagat and ClP leader Rajendra Singh besides Ramesh and Hariprasad.
When asked about the moot question — whether the party would continue its partnership with regional parties — Bhagat said the matter had been marked as one of the agendas. “That is what we are going to discuss. Views of all the invited members would be taken before the final call being made by the central leadership. We have to weigh our options before reaching to any conclusion.” Worth mentioning here is that the party working committee has already expressed its opinion against going into poll in alliance and stressed vehemently over fighting alone in the days to come.