Rebels in the State Congress have received a jolt in their endeavour to dethrone incumbent Pradesh Congress Committee president Sukhdeo Bhagat. The leaders comprising two legislators and nine other members met party’s national vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Friday in Delhi to press for their long pending demand.
However, the pressure tactics failed to bear fruit when the leaders, apart from getting a brief hearing, got nothing concrete in return. “We discussed politics of Jharkhand with Rahul Gandhi and how the BJP is imposing its own agenda on the CNT-SPT Acts. Brutalities against minorities continue and voice of para teachers is being suppressed. We have invited him to the State as well,” said Jamtara MlA Irfan Ansari who along with his Barhi counterpart has been spearheading the ‘Sukhdeo Hatao-Congress Bachao’ campaign vociferously.
When pressed further and asked repeatedly about their main agenda behind flying down to Delhi, Ansari minced his words. “We have put forth A to Z information before him. Now the matter rests with the party high command. Our job ends with that and now it is for him to decide,” said the fiery MlA who alongwith other Sukhdeo detractors had leveled charges of all kinds against the PCC chief not long ago.
The allegations include weakening the party structure in the State, not picking up the issues relating to minorities and tribals and even working against the party’s interest by indulging into corruption and other illicit activities.
The disgruntled folks had barged into the inaugural meet of the newly constituted PCC in the presence of AICC general secretary and Jharkhand in-charge BK Hariprasad and took to streets fighting with their rival faction. They claimed that the AICC member gave them a patient hearing and assured for a meeting with Rahul Gandhi to present their side of story.
Moreover, it is learnt that the Friday meeting was just to pacify them as the Congress high command is no mood to disturb the organisation here in the State now when some important Assembly polls are lined up.
“They have been told to work for wellbeing of the party and strengthen its roots in the State instead of running a parallel group at JPCC. The party leadership is of the view that there is no able replacement of Sukhdeo Bhagat at the present moment and the matter can be looked into later on,” said a senior party functionary of AICC.
The thumbs down given to the camp has made pro-Sukhdeo lobby elated. “Nothing is going to affect the PCC in-place in Jharkhand. After all, the leadership also needs something to act against the State Congress president under whom the party has fought two by-polls directly and won the both. The organisation is actively raising issues related to land acquisition and anti-tribal steps being taken by the Government and would continue to do so in future. They are just hoping that since the BJP has appointed a non-tribal as Chief Minister the same should be done in the Congress as well,” said a general secretary of the JPCC.