Apparently getting ready for a showdown with the ruling alliance partner JMM, the Congress on Friday exerted its right over the Rajya Sabha seat from Jharkhand.
The Congress has reiterated that it would field a party candidate for the biennial poll, slated to take place on February 7. Though the party is yet to come up with name of the candidate, PCC chief Sukhdeo Bhagat left for Delhi on Friday evening to discuss the matter with the party high command.
“The candidate would be an alliance candidate and a local political worker. Of course, the Congress would field its own candidate for the Rajya Sabha polls,” said senior party leader and lok Sabha member from Ranchi Subodh Kant Sahay. The statement can be seen in the light of PCC president’s version given to The Pioneer a day ago in which he had claimed the support of coalition partner JMM in this regard terming it a regional party.
When asked about coalition commotion over the matter as all the three constituents — Congress, JMM and RJD —have staked claim for a seat in the Upper House, Sahay said that is why deliberations are taking place. “Sukhdeo Bhagat has had another round of talks with the Chief Minister and he is leaving for Delhi. Final decision would come after that,” he said and also put its hand on another seat falling vacant after KD Singh’s resignation from the House. Talking about lok Sabha preparation Sahay added that a joint campaign with coalition partners would be started after January 26-27.
Sahay, in the meantime, said that the Congress has planned a convention in Ranchi on January 30, death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. The rally has been named as ‘satya sankalp sammelan’ would talk about idea and ideologies of the Father of the nation. He said that it was necessary when attacks were taking place on the ideology of Gandhi.
“Gandhi had been killed and now attacks are being done on his philosophy. Would his ideas now be killed as wellIJ New things are happening in politics now-a-days when rowdiness and shamelessness have overtaken his ideas. The sammelan would see an ideological debate taking place,” said Sahay. People from Ranchi lok Sabha constituency and district would take part which has been backed by NSUI, Youth Congress, Women Congress and Ranchi Mahanagar Congress Committee. Posters and pamphlets were also released on the occasion for the Morhabadi rally.