The Hindu : Kamal Nath's position weakens

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Dec 23, 2002

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Kamal Nath's position weakens

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI DEC. 22. The Assembly elections in Gujarat have had their fall-out in Delhi where political equations have undergone a change in the last few days. While the Chief Minister, Sheila Dikshit, has been able to consolidate her position within the party, her bete noire and AICC general secretary in charge of Gujarat and Delhi, Kamal Nath, finds his position weakened in view of the Gujarat debacle and the flak thereafter.

A general impression had been created in the party and Government that if Mr. Nath had been able to snatch a victory in Gujarat, he would train his guns on Ms. Dikshit. In fact, certain Delhi Congress leaders close to Mr. Nath had chalked out a strategy for the post-poll scenario as they had expected a massive victory in Modi's State and had talked about turning the heat on the Chief Minister and even work towards seeking her ouster from the post. "Clearly the handful of dissidents had put in place a plan at the behest of Mr. Nath to create a hostile situation for Ms. Dikshit. But, things have not gone according to their plan and all of them are licking their wounds,'' a senior leader stated.

The fact that trouble was in store for the Chief Minister was indicated during the Winter Session of the Vidhan Sabha when some known dissident MLAs and some loyalists-turned-dissidents made the Sheila Dikshit Government and its Excise Policy the target creating an embarrassing situation for the Government inside and outside the House. What was shocking was the joining of hands by the likes of Shadi Ram and the Deputy Leader of the House, Sishpal, with some dissident MLAs to create a ruckus in the House over the Excise Policy. It is no secret that Mr. Shadi Ram is close to Mr. Nath and former Union Minister, Jagdish Tytler and Mr. Sishpal is hobnobbing with detractors of Ms.Dikshit.

Sources said that these MLAs raised a virtual banner of revolt despite knowing very well that the policy had itself been cleared by Mr. Nath and he had given the go ahead to the Finance Minister, Mahinder Singh Saathi, to implement the policy in letter and spirit. "These MLAs could have created a furore only at the instance of certain leaders opposed to Ms. Dikshit. The silence of Mr. Nath over the issue was also very intriguing and so was the behind the scene instructions by certain senior Congress leaders who miss no opportunity to be part of the party circuit ,'' remarked a senior Minister.

But with the strong criticism that Mr. Nath and his coterie have failed over the strategy in Gujarat, the situation has somehow changed. In fact, it is learnt the dissidents, never wanting to give up, are trying to forge another political equation within the Delhi Congress to form yet another front against the Chief Minister. But this time they would really have to work hard to convince the Congress president, Sonia Gandhi. "The Congress should now concentrate on winning Delhi Assembly elections. Mr. Nath should sit down with Ms. Dikshit and sort out the mess before things go out of control. This will be in the party's interest or it will have to face another humiliation at the hustings,'' a Congress watcher remarked.

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