Congress Barhi MlA Manoj Kumar Yadav has challenged party State chief Sukhdeo Bhagat to initiate action against him and his associates for their deeds. The MlA known for his hostility to the PCC president held a rally at Jamtara on Monday where, he claimed, all the anti-Sukhdeo leaders gathered on a single platform.
“It was heartening to see over 15000 people coming to attend the rally. This apart, two former ministers Banna Gupta and Geeta Shree Oraon were present and the event virtually turned out to be a platform of the Sukhdeo hatao campaign. We would go all out against him and in future hold similar rallies in different parts of the State. If he feels confident why not he is taking action against us,” dared Yadav.
The rally was called to highlight issues like CNT-SPT amendments, demonetisation and other ‘anti-people’ steps taken by the BJP-led governments at the Centre and the State levels but ended up completely as ‘Sukhdeo Bhagat bashing’ event. The programme was called under the banner of the party but barring the rival faction none of the prominent office bearers of the PCC was present over there.
Yadav said the leadership at helm had information about the event but it chose not to attend it. “We had informed the leadership and the PCC president just like us were informed on previous occasions. ‘Whatsapp’ message was sent to him,” added the MlA, indicating to the extent of communication gap existing at the party level that has only seven legislators in the Assembly.
Yadav received full backing of another party MlA in the form of Irfan Ansari who has been the brain behind the rally. “The programme was historic in nature. The crowd gathered here can itself narrate the story. When the State Congress president last visited Santhal Pargana, there were not even 100 people around him,” said Ansari, who has teamed up with Yadav to dethrone Bhagat at any cost. They had also taken up the matter before the party leadership in Delhi and claimed to have got assurances but “due to demonetisation issue it has been put on hold for a while”.
On the other, Bhagat went on organising a parallel rally on similar grounds at Simdega. “Over 10,000 people attended it and the Albert Ekka stadium was full,” claimed the PCC president, but sounded defensive when asked about the challenge thrown at him. “It is not an issue if some leaders are organising a different programme at some other place on similar issues and not against the party lines. This is not a matter of concern for us though no consent of the party leadership was taken,” he said.
However, he looked baffled and hinted about a new-look disciplinary committee at the party level in the New Year. “The committee and other functions of the party would be more effective and come in new avatars in January. All would see Congress in a new form in coming days,” said Bhagat.