Dissidence within Congress(I) state units reach new alarming pitch

Though dissidence within the ruling party's state units is not a new phenomenon, it appears to have reached a new alarming pitch in recent months. Droves of disaffected MLAs and Pradesh Congress(I) Committee(PCC-I) office-bearers from over 10 states descended on the capital last fortnight to articulate their grievances in no uncertain terms.The palatial headquarters of the All India Congress Committee-I (AICC-I) on New Delhi's tree-lined Akbar Road was the scene of angry demonstrations as militant Congress(I) workers chanted slogans against chief ministers and brandished memoranda with long lists of complaints. Says an official of the AICC-I: "There is not even a single state where the party is really united and cohesive. Since the intra-party disputes are not settled at the state level, the squabbling leaders air dash to New Delhi in search of solutions."In fact, never before has the AICC(I) office entertained such an unending flow of complaints against chief ministers, central cabinet ministers and the PCC(I) office-bearers.Since Mrs Gandhi and her son Rajiv Gandhi, MP, have emerged as the final arbiters of party disputes, the squabbling Congress(I) leaders have been either trying to meet them or sending them memoranda detailing their complaints. A sampling of events during the last fortnight underscores the deepening rift within the state party hierarchies:Over 200 Congress(I) workers from Karnataka submitted a memorandum containing serious allegations against the state's Chief Minister R. Gundu Rao.Over 40 MLAs from Bihar demanded a change of leadership of the Bihar legislature party. A few days earlier pro-and anti-Jagannath Mishra party workers had fought pitched battles in Patna.Six MLAs from Andhra Pradesh wrote to the party's high command that Chief Minister T. Anjiah has spoiled the party's image by his maladministration. They have since been asked by the PCC(I) to explain their action.Over a dozen party legislators and PCC(I) office-bearers from Orissa in a letter written to the prime minister demanded an inquiry into the alleged financial irregularities in the state.A delegation of Punjab Congress(I) workers led by an MP brought to the notice of the prime minister the damage done to the state by the Zail Singh-Darbara Singh feud.Former defence minister Bansi Lal, while addressing rallies in Haryana, openly criticised the inefficiency of the state Government, headed by Bhajan Lal.Two former ministers of the Maharashtra Cabinet were accused of fomenting trouble for Chief Minister A. R. Antulay.Over two dozen MLAs and MPs from Madhya Pradesh documented the failures of the Arjun Singh Government and sent it to the prime minister's Secretariat.Two Union ministers from Gujarat and 10 MLAs and MPs presented a detailed note on the objectionable activities of Chief Minister Madhavsinh Solanki to the prime minister.In Uttar Pradesh, some of the junior ministers refused to accept the new portfolios allotted to them by their Chief Minister Vishwanath Pratap Singh.By any yardstick, the within the Congress(I) appears to be widespread. This is particularly surprising in view of the commanding presence of its chief, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, who has a methodical approach to party disputes. Admits a senior party functionary: "The party seems to be on the verge of a civil war with each faction flexing its muscles for a fight to the finish for gaining control over the Government and the party organisation."Most of the chief ministers dismiss such allegations. Says Jagannath Mishra, the bespectacled chief minister of Bihar: "It is a party led by Mrs Gandhi and I am working on her behalf. Where is the room for any dissidence?"Differences: The current spate of rivalry within the party ranks is directly related to the party's electoral triumphs last year. The dissidents who have been lobbying for a share of power both at the Centre and the states are no better in terms of ability than the incumbents. This has considerably sharpened their differences with the ruling coterie.Most of the allegations against chief ministers like Gundu Rao and Mishra revolve around the much flogged word: corruption. "Nothing moves in the state Secretariat unless money is paid under the table," reads a letter written against the Bihar chief minister.Dissidents from Gujarat, who had been frustrated by the indecisiveness of the high command, found a novel way of smearing the state's chief minister accusing him of involvement in sex scandals.Others like the chief ministers of Madhya Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh have been accused of forging secret alliances with opposition parties like the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Janata Party and Congress(S).Though the intra-party feud varies from slate to state, a common thread runs through most of them. Virtually every state has its chief ministers at loggerheads with the PCC(I) office-bearers as well as the Union Cabinet ministers Mrs Gandhi's efforts to pack the PCC(I) with supporters of the chief ministers in Ultar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Maharashtra and Orissa have failed to solve the problem.Those who were left out have joined hands with other dissidents to denigrate ministers and the PCC(I) chiefs. For instance, in Andhra Pradesh, K. Prabhakar Rao - a former speaker of the Assembly and the present PCC(I) chief - suspended Minor Irrigation Minister C. Dass and Minister of State for Cinematography N. Chandrababu Naidu for defying his directive not to participate in the Chittoor Zilla Parishad elections.Rao took this unprecedented step without even consulting the chief minister, much to his embarrassment, though the order was revoked a few days later. "Dissent is inevitable in any democratic party but when this turns into indiscipline, it cannot be tolerated," said Rao, who appears determined to tackle the dissidence problem in Andhra Pradesh with an iron hand.Unlike in most other states, dissidents in Andhra Pradesh are increasingly turning to the PCC(I) chief instead of catching the first flight to Delhi to give vent to their gripes against the chief minister when he fails to oblige them.Hiatus: But perhaps the most disturbing trend within the ruling party is the hiatus between the central leaders, including Cabinet ministers and AICC-I office bearers and the state chief ministers. Vignettes: ALCC-I General Secretary Vasant Dada Patil vs A.R. Antulay, Vishwanath Pratap Singh vs Kamlapati Tripathi, Darbara Singh vs Zail Singh, Madhavsinh Solanki vs Yogendra Makwana and Arjun Singh vs Vidya Charan Shukla.The indiscipline at the top invariably filters down to the lower echelons of the party hierarchy. Former chief ministers like Chenna Reddy and Mohanlal Sukhadia attract more crowds at public meetings than the present chief ministers. With their regional mass support, they have even succeeded in fomenting dissatisfaction against respective state governments headed by men who enjoy little support at the grassroots level.The Opposition parties, quite justifiably, are exploiting the infighting in the ruling party. Not only have they been able to extract damaging information from disgusted ruling party MLAs but they have also succeeded in creating an impression that the Congress(I) is no longer a disciplined party.Says a BJP, MP: "The Congress(I) is nothing but a meeting ground for corrupt and inefficient elements. Is there any single field in which the Congress(I) can claim to have done better in any of the 17 states ruled by it for the last 20 months?" The Opposition parties have been able to launch massive agitations in Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar and Haryana against the failures of the state governments.In Andhra Pradesh, opposition parties even managed to win local elections. Even some top Congress(I) leaders admit that the dismal performance of chief ministers is causing concern in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. Admits an AICC(I) observer: "Anjiah has turned out to be a second Pahadia."In an effort to stem the tide of factionalism, the Congress(I) high command and the chief ministers have started attending to serious complaints about maladministration.The AlCC(I) has drawn up a four-pronged strategy to deal with the problem: allow the pressure on the chief ministers to mount up to a certain limit so that they are always on the defensive; prevent the chief ministers from dropping dissidents and reshuffling cabinet ministers according to their choice; curb dissident activity with a heavy hand if they cross certain limits; and, finally, establish a harmonious relationship between the chief minister and the PCC(I) chief.Party Organisation: Says Rajendra Kumari Bajpayee, AICC-I general secretary: "We will not allow any attempts to destabilise the state governments by permitting a few disgruntled and misguided elements to launch a campaign against the chief ministers. We will not hesitate in expelling them from the party."To further strengthen the party's organisation, Vasant Dada Patil sent a letter to all the PCC(I) presidents to curb anti-party activities in their states. Even Mrs Gandhi, before her departure on a 10-day foreign tour last fortnight, held a two-hour meeting with her party colleagues and directed them to enforce discipline in the party.There is a new directive to the effect that chief ministers should not be disturbed by the central leadership. For example, Rajiv Gandhi, announced recently at Gauhati that the fate of Chief Minister A.R. Antulay should be decided by the state's legislature party and the PCC(I).Since both the Maharashtra PCC(I) and the Maharashtra Pradesh Legislature Party (MPLP) have expressed their confidence in Antulay, he has earned a reprieve from the two-month old assault against him. AICC's latest thinking is, contrary to the stand it took four months ago in the case of Rajasthan's chief minister Jagannath Pahadia, when he was asked to quit despite the fact that he enjoyed majority support of the party in the state.Though the party seems determined to put its house in order political observers are sceptical about the chances of its success. Last year, Sanjay Gandhi, in his capacity as the party's general secretary had collected lengthy dossiers on dissidents. Over a thousand complaints were received by the AICC(I) office but no follow-up action was taken. Though a section of the ruling party wants Rajiv Gandhi as the party's general secretary, chances of his induction being a panacea are bleak. Says a political analyst of Delhi University: "In a party which is run on an adhoc basis rather than on the sound principles of democratic elections, the chances of restoring discipline are minimum."Congress(I) critics point out that the indiscipline in the party continues because Mrs Gandhi has not been able to attend to party affairs because of her preoccupation with national and international problems. Mrs Gandhi has been heading the party since February 1978 when she was appointed its president after it broke away from the undivided Congress.Though programmes for conducting elections were announced earlier this year, actual elections have been postponed because the warring factions have started enrolling bogus voters. But the real reason for the indefinite postponement of the party's election is that Mrs Gandhi is not certain about who she should hand the party over to.And after her failure lo provide 'governments that work' at the state level, there is every likelihood that her party's image will be further tarnished especially if it fails to project a clean and united front.Published By: AtMigration Published On: Oct 26, 2013 14:07 IST--- ENDS ---

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Dissidence within Congress(I) state units reach new alarming pitch

Though dissidence within the ruling party's state units is not a new phenomenon, it appears to have reached a new alarming pitch in recent months.

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