The Hindu : Serious shortcomings in Cong: V.C. Shukla

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Apr 12, 2003

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National

Serious shortcomings in Cong: V.C. Shukla

By Our Special Correspondent

MUMBAI April 11. The veteran Congressman and former Union Minister, Vidya Charan Shukla, has joined the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), telling the Congress president, Sonia Gandhi in a letter that he was compelled to quit the party in view of "serious shortcomings and blunders seen in her stewardship."

Mr. Shukla announced his step at a press conference here in the presence of the NCP president, Sharad Pawar, parrying questions about the "shortcomings and blunders'' and stating that he did not want to spoil his personal relations with Ms. Gandhi.

In a letter released to the media, Mr. Shukla said he did not blame Ms. Gandhi for the goings-on in the party in view of her "very short experience" in running a political party but insisted that he was compelled to quit.

Mr. Pawar welcomed Mr. Shukla and announced that he expected a major development in Kerala, hinting at a Congress leader joining his party. He neither confirmed nor denied that the leader concerned could be K. Karunakaran.

He said that the Kerala NCP leader, Shanmukham Das and others met him here on Thursday to discuss the Kerala situation.

"I have given them some constructive advice,'' he said.

Mr. Pawar said that Mr. Shukla would not only head the Chhattisgarh unit of the NCP but appoint the State-level office-bearers and set up the party structure at district and lower levels besides the parliamentary board and other bodies. Mr. Shukla would also negotiate with other like-minded secular parties to work out a common stand.

The NCP leader said the style of functioning of the incumbent Chief Minister, Ajit Jogi in Chhattisgarh was helping the BJP but now with the joining of Mr. Shukla in the NCP and the resultant strengthening of the NCP would deny the BJP such an opportunity.

Mr. Shukla questioned the wisdom of planning a new capital at an outlay of Rs. 21,000 crores when Raipur could serve the purpose with some more facilities that could be provided at a comparatively nominal cost of Rs. 15 to 20 crores.

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