The Congress’ strategy of using the BJP-led government’s land ordinance and the current agrarian crisis for its political revival faces hurdles from within: factionalism and infighting in States that the Congress high command has earmarked to lead the revival.
“Infighting in the State units of Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan threatens to destabilise the plan under which the Congress high command has directed the party leadership in these States to focus on agitations against the BJP and its allies,” a Congress leader revealed.
PCC chief heckledIn the latest incident of factionalism, a group of Congress workers, allegedly owing allegiance to former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, heckled State Congress chief Ashok Tanwar on Sunday, the day of the Congress’ grand rally in the Capital against the amendment to the land acquisition Bill.
The matter was raised at a meeting of the Haryana unit of the Congress with Central leaders on Monday evening shortly before they met party president Sonia Gandhi.
Former Haryana Minister Ajay Singh Yadav brought it up with State general secretary in-charge of Haryana and Punjab, Shakeel Ahmed.
“I strongly condemn the heckling and demand action. Those people should be identified and punished. Tanwar was appointed president of the State unit by the Congress president and that should be respected,” Capt. Yadav told The Hindu . Mr. Tanwar refused to comment on the issue.
Not see eye to eyeIn Punjab, former Chief Minister Capt. Amarinder Singh wants the State unit chief Pratap Singh Bajwa removed. A senior Congress leader said the factional fight between the two could hurt the party’s prospects in February 2017, when the State goes to the polls.
Mr. Bajwa admitted that he and Capt. Singh had aired their differences in public but claimed that he had only reacted to the latter’s statements. “I admit we need to sink our personal differences because Punjab offers the best chance for the party’s revival in 2017,” he said. “I supported Capt. Singh as long as he was CM and PCC chief.”
In Rajasthan, the party is making a transition to a younger leadership under PCC chief Sachin Pilot and Jitendra Singh — both confidants of Mr. Gandhi — from former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. Mr. Gandhi drew up a revival plan that rests on channelising the discontent against the BJP government for the land acquisition ordinance that was first promulgated in December 2014, a source in the know said.
