Can new state Congress incharge change party’s fate?

Yogesh Mishra

Raipur, March 08, 2011

In wake of its back-to-back defeats in Bhatgaon and Sanjari-Balod by-elections, the state Congress is in low spirits and is still brooding what went wrong in its poll strategies that failed to check the BJP’s successive winning streak. The PCC does not want to open the can of worms by analysing party’s frustrating performance in by-polls and rather waits eagerly for arrival of the new state incharge AICC general secretary BK Hariprasad who could do the critical job impartially. But the party leaders do not know whether Hariprasad would dig the past of state Congress or concentrate in shaping its future. In fact, they simply think that if he would take right decision then he can change the party’s fate in the state.

However, Hariprasad, who is also a Rajya sabha member from Karnataka and incharge of Madhya Pradesh and Haryana besides Chhattisgarh, has tough task ahead in this tribal populated region.

He does not want to gauge the PCC leaders and workers on the basis of his previous Chhattisgarh connections when he was appointed as poll observer by the party leadership during last Assembly and general elections in the state.

Instead, according to information, Hariprasad is rather using his close links with the top bananas of Chhattisgarh Congress to know the current scenario.

Sources informed that he has already contacted state’s former incharge V Narayanasamy and fetched information about the party’s status. He has reportedly sought information from Narayanasamy about the loopholes in the state unit and about different factions who repeatedly challenge the PCC leadership that eventually results in party’s poll defeats.

Hariprasad has also held brief discussion with AICC treasurer Motilal Vora, the state’s veteran leader, to take stock of party’s political activities and ground presence in both urban and rural regions.

He is also said to have spoken to Lok sabha member from Korba Dr Charandas Mahant who has much earlier refused to become PCC president and Mohsina Kidwai, the party’s Rajya Sabha member from Chhattisgarh quota, to know their opinions about state unit.

Hariprasad has also asked the PCC to provide party’s year-wise operations since 2004. He has further asked the state unit to send list of popular Congress leaders in the state and potential party workers who could be groomed as leaders of the future.

Sources informed that Hariprasad is following AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi’s style of working who before going to any state first goes through the track record of the party in that particular region.

With new assignment as Chhattisgarh incharge where Hariprasad would wish to rekindle the downcast party, the workers hope that instead of downsizing the dissenters, he would take subtle measures to bridge the gap between the factions and give them important tasks of consolidate the party in both urban and rural regions in next two years to prepare favorable conditions for Congress to succeed in its mission 2013 and 2014.