Rift between Choubey, Patel deepens!

Raipur, April 05, 2012

The rift between state Congress president Nandkumar Patel and CLP leader Ravindra Choubey is deepening continuously as was confirmed again on the former’s Thursday interaction with the media regarding government’s coal block allocation to Sancheti brothers. Considering the significance of the issue, Choubey’s presence was expected but he did not come.

According to sources, the party’s national leadership too is concerned about growing difference between Patel and Choubey as it hopes that the duo would manage to keep all the factions united till Congress achieves its missions 2013 and 2014.

Notably, Patel is said to be upset with Choubey’s “less aggression” during Vidhan Sabha (VS) proceedings and has reportedly complained about this to state unit incharge BK Hariprasada as well.

Sources informed that several party MLAs too want Choubey to be more vocal and aggressive in the VS so that they could launch integrated attack on the ruling party on serious issues.

The performance of the congress in the recently held budget session too has been dubbed as lacklustre by the party sources who indicate that whenever Patel tried to attack the government, he failed to get ample support from Choubey.

Source informed that Choubey, on the other hand, was dismayed by Patel’s ambition (to become chief minister) which was rather reportedly pushed up by the high command.

The national leadership is less likely to press emergency button and make a sea change in top brass of the state unit and might rather arrange a reconciliatory meeting of Patel and Choubey amid other senior leaders of the state naming AICC treasurer Motilal Vora, Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Processing Unit Charandas Mahant and of course, Hariprasada.