Bihar Congress president Ashok Chaudhary has urged the party High Command to decide his fate. Known to be close to Nitish Kumar when he was Education Minister during the time when the allinace was intact, Choudahry is now accused to be trying to break the party.
Following the buzz, the High Command had called him and some other senior leaders and functionaries to Delhi and gave them a thorough dressing down but the Bihar leaders denied any bid to cause split in the Congress. He accused AICC functionary for trying to depose him and install someone else as Bihar chief and vitiate the atmosphere.
“I am being flogged like a school child who has failed in exam but the fact is that I have passed all exam with distinction,” said the former Education Minister.
He is holding the post of BPCC chief for four and a half years and in 2015 Assembly election the party had won 27 seats which was highest since 1990.
Choudhary said, “It is the high time the High Command took a decision if they want me to retain or remove. The delay is causing heart burn among many and leading to uncertainty.” He though denied chances of split in Bihar Congress legislature party, the party is agog with reports of possible division and a large chunk of legislature party is likely to join Nitish Kumar led JD(U).
Efforts are being made by a section of party to replace Choudhary with former Union Minister Akhilesh Singh. Without taking Singh’s name Choudhary countered, “Those who joined Congress only three years ago that too after burning effigies of Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi are now giving sermon to me.”
Singh was earlier in RJD. Expecting a change at least a couple of Congressmen Dilip Choudhary and Sanjay Tewari, both Choudhary loyalists, staked their claim on top post in the State. They said either their claim should also taken into consideration or Choudhary should be allowed to continue till 2019 elections.
Sources said a final decision is likely to be taken after the return of Rahul from the USA. Before leaving for abroad Rahul had summoned party functionaries of Bihar and all the legislators to Delhi to take stock of the situation but he did not succeed in keeping the flock together.
Already talks are going about the possible split in the party and sources said 14 out of 27 MlAs and at least three MlCs are bent on crossing to JD(U) or BJP. Incidentally, the leaders of both the parties have opened their door for them.
Meanwhile, PCC chief Choudhary has scrapped the suspension of some Congress leaders, including Padmasha Jha, on the recommendation of the disciplinary committee of the party.