Newly appointed Jharkhand in-charge of the Congress party RPN Singh had to feel the heat from inside on his inaugural to the State visit itself. On the mission to unite the sectioned party, at least two Congress MlAs pulled up the leadership at helm blaming it to be incompetent and pitched hard for a replacement.
RPN held a meeting with district presidents and later chaired a closed door with party’s legislative body in the evening. “We have one point agenda with us. The leader of the organisation here in Jharkhand should be removed at any cost,” said Congress Jamtara MlA Irfan Ansari, a critique of PCC Chief Sukhdeo Bhagat, before going into the meeting.
Ansari along with his Barhi counterpart Manoj Yadav is learnt to has blamed the PCC chief for his inaction, nepotism and having hand in glove with the Government of the day.
“He said before the in-charge that the State president is inactive on crucial issues such as CNT-SPT amendments, minority killings and farmers’ issues. Ansari went on hurling charges that Bhagat has proximity with the Chief Minister and meets him often compromise party’s interests for the sake of his own benefits,” said an insider present in the meeting.
The duo said to have referred to their meeting with Congress national vice president Rahul Gandhi before the in-charge and claimed that they had been given assurance about removal of Bhagat from the top post. Irfan himself confirming the outburst threw a virtual threat that the attempt was of his final one.
“This is the last time I have said all this before the party leadership. I presented all the evidences and proofs regarding his (Sukhdeo Bhagat) proximity with the Government and his steps those are detrimental to the organisation in Jharkhand. In this way we are not going to go anywhere in future. Sooner the party realises and acts, better it would be for the Congress,” Irfan said.
RPN Singh realising the sense cautioned the leaders to refrain from media attentions and to place their issues in the party forum itself. “You have to be disciplined. There is no need to go the media needlessly and only party appointed spokespersons are authorised to do so,” said the in-charge in his address to the party men.