The Hindu : District-level Congress meetings may misfire

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Nov 11, 2002

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District-level Congress meetings may misfire

By Sujay Mehdudia

NEW DELHI NOV. 10. Apprehensions are being expressed in the Congress circles over the move by the Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee to hold district level conventions to gear up the party for future electoral challenges. The move, many in the party fear, could well set off offensive against the Sheila Dikshit Government instead of targeting the NDA Government at the Centre.

What is most surprising is the need to hold such conventions at a time when there is no immediate provocation of any electoral battle on hands. Instead of taking to task the Congress Councillors for their poor performance and failure to implement the agenda outlined by the party, this new initiative is being unleashed at the directions of the AICC general secretary in charge of Delhi, Kamal Nath. The move is being termed as an effort by the party to highlight the failures of the Vajpayee Government at the Centre and to ensure proper coordination between the MLAs, Councillors and the party. It is also being projected as an attempt to prepare the party for the Assembly elections scheduled to be held in November next year.

Insiders in the party said the move to hold district level conventions of the Delhi Congress could misfire and may, in fact, widen the gulf between the party and the Government. The facade of unity and coordination could well turn into a mud slinging match and harm the prospects of the party by bringing out in the open the severe infighting at various levels. While many have welcomed the move for interaction with the party workers at the grassroot level, it is feared that the situation could well deviate from the original agenda and instead the guns would be directed against the Congress Government.

``There is little doubt that these meetings would be utilised to lash out at the Sheila Dikshit Government. It would be used as a platform to highlight the grievances against the Government and project a scenario for the party high command that all was not well in Delhi and great resentment was brewing among party workers and cadres. Instead of taking on the BJP and NDA Government, the conventions are likely to turn the heat on the Chief Minister and the Ministers making things worse,'' remarked a senior party leader.

Many partymen feel that even before these conventions could begin, clear divisions have arisen in the party rank and file. The Congress is clearly divided into various factions and the local level leaders are not willing to garner support for any single group keeping in mind the Assembly elections next year. Apart from this, the aspirants for the Assembly tickets are unlikely to lend a helping hand to any effort by a MLA or local leader they are opposed to and would try to sabotage the whole process. This could well trigger off severe infighting within the lower ranks and contribute to the problems of the party.

What has surprised many in the party is the non-inclusion of the Chief Minister, Sheila Dikshit, in the panel that has been set up by Mr. Nath to ensure coordination. In fact, the Chief Minister has not been given any role in ensuring unity and coordination for the Assembly elections indicating the great divide in the party and the discrepancies being committed by the party leaders to achieve their own personal political objectives. "How can party achieve unity when the beginning has been on a dissenting note. One cannot afford to ignore the Chief Minister who has done all the good work. Mr. Nath certainly has to have a broader outlook,'' another leader added.

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District-level Congress meetings may misfire