Congress crisis: Who is to be blamed?

Raipur, October 31, 2012

In nine years, state Congress was expected to evolve as a mature principal opposition which is ready to win battle 2013 and 2014 comfortably, but the party could not come out of its experimental mode due to unending infighting. In fact, the party has not even advanced an inch from the position it commenced its fresh innings “sans power” back in 2003.

Congress is as disintegrated as it was then – thanks to ego clashes among senior leaders whose ambitions are higher than that of the organisation. The latest verbal spat between senior leader Ajit Jogi and state unit incharge BK Hariprasada testifies that the 127-year-old party never endeavoured to create congenial conditions for coexistence of its discarding leaders.

Although disagreeing with own partymen in public is not a new trend in Indian politics, the Congress leaders seemed to have developed a habit to do so intermittently.

State Congress is certainly not in condition to afford this trend, but unfortunately it is unable to check such practices. Consequently, indiscipline is rife in the organisation. Action is taken only against vulnerable ones while the powerful dissidents, who are thorn in the eyes of the party, are spared.

The party insiders say the Congress did not hesitate in expelling veteran tribal leader Arvind Netam because he was not a potential threat in polls, but Jogi “is” and hence has virtually got a carte blanche do as he wish. Even the latest episode is less likely to affect his disposition.

Jogi has actually become anathema for many in party and they fear his expanded activities across state would diminish their political image. Therefore, these leaders would once again jointly lobby against Jogi before Central leadership and urge it to keep him away from state politics, although they have similar opinions for each-other too.

These leaders are confident that high command, instead of taking action against Jogi, would reprimand him. Hence, they are adding fuel to Hariprasada’s anger so that the latter could at least convince the national leadership to assign Jogi a prolonged task outside Chhattisgarh.

Though, Jogi and Hariprasada claim to have amicable relation for the past 25 years, they barely displayed it ever since the latter held the reins of state unit. Rather, Jogi hurt Hariprasada’s ego a couple of times, but could not escape his wrath this time.

Jogi supporters, on the other hand, are exasperated of step-brotherly attitude their leader face in the party. They say although Jogi gets invitation in party events, none wants him to participate because everyone fears that he will steal the show. They think Jogi does not get respect he deserves in the party. He is a man of calibre and therefore his successful events cause envy in rest of Congress factions which could not do anything else other than throwing tantrums and complaining to the high command, they add. The rest of the factions are actually debilitating the party by persistently targeting Jogi, they say.

For Jogi brigade, aggression is the mantra to attack ruling BJP and it is sincerely doing the party job, although other factions become nervous when Jogi and his son hog the limelight. Enough is enough, feel the Jogi supporters, let Central leadership take firm decision on state unit politics. They say Jogi will not compromise with his aggression, but if he is axed, he has grit to shift equilibrium of state politics in his favour.