Deeply rooted factionalism still haunts the Congress. The senior party leaders, who chaired meetings, on Sunday, in all the districts to churn out names of candidates for Lok Sabha elections, faced ‘groupism’ and even the workers took to sloganeering and misbehaved with them.
Deeply rooted factionalism still haunts the Congress. The senior party leaders, who chaired meetings, on Sunday, in all the districts to churn out names of candidates for Lok Sabha elections, faced ‘groupism’ and even the workers took to sloganeering and misbehaved with them.
In Ajmer, Nagaur, Jalore, Bikaner and Sawai Madhopur, the supporters of the leaders seeking candidature for the Parliamentary election created a ruckus and misbehaved with the ministers incharge who attended the meeting.
In Nagaur, minister incharge Sukhram Vishnoi and district president Zakir Husain were taking meeting when a section of leaders shouted slogans. Similarly, in the presence of mines minister Pramod Jain Bhaya the supporters of a candidate confronted each other in Ajmer party district office. The local police had to be called to pacify them.
As the meeting began in Sawai Madhopur the supporters shouted slogans in support of their respective leaders. The Sawai Madhopur MLA Danish Abrar tried to control the situation by saying that the committee would pass a one line proposal giving authority to the party president Rahul Gandhi to select the candidate from the constituency. Former union minister Namonarayan Meena, who is seeking candidature from the seat and former minister Rajendra Choudhary were also present in the meeting.
Reports of indiscipline by shouting slogans and disrupting meeting also came from other districts like Jhunjhunu, Jalore and Bikaner which marred the process of preparing panels.
It may be recalled that prior to the Assembly election held in December, the grand old party had faced the similar situation during Mera Booth Mera Gaurav programme. The senior leaders were misbehaved with, manhandled and shoved away by the supporters.
Similar situation prevails for the party ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. If the party does not take immediate action to deal with the ghost of factionalism, then certainly its poll prospects are likely to be dented.
By holding such meetings the Congress has geared up to ‘pick’ candidates for the parliamentary elections due in April- May. The meetings were held on the directions of PCC chief and deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot. With this, the process of forming panels has begun. Candidates, district and block heads, members of central organisation, ministers incharge and PCC secretaries attended the meetings.
The Congress after getting a booster of victory in recent Assembly elections has started exercises for Lok Sabha polls. The official campaigning for the Parliamentary elections began with recent farmers’ rally held in Jaipur which was addressed by Congress chief Rahul Gandhi on January 9. Gandhi scion is expected to tour Rajasthan again by the month end to attend a conference of Sewadal.
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