NEW DELHI, 22 September 2003 — Congress President Sonia Gandhi may have improved her political acceptability, but her party is grappling with deep dissensions ahead of crucial state elections.
Gandhi, who has 14 states in her bag, faces rebellion in key state units that party leaders fear may take a toll when the Congress presents itself to voters as an outfit that can provide political stability.
In August, two veteran Congress leaders and former central ministers, Vasant Sathe and N.K.P. Salve, walked out of the party announcing plans to float a new outfit to demand a separate Vidarbha state carved out of Maharashtra. Though both leaders finally rejoined the party after some persuasion, it was a setback that sounded alarms for the party. This was just after the Congress in adjoining Andhra Pradesh faced a revolt over the issue of a separate Telangana state.
The central leadership also stepped in to prevent a crisis in Haryana when some dissidents criticized party policies. The party leadership made it clear that it would not brook indiscipline.
In Arunachal Pradesh in the northeast, the Congress stunningly lost power after 36 of its legislators crossed over and formed a government with the backing of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Congress leaders as well as political analysts feel the reason behind today’s divided house is the lack of a powerful hand to control the party down the line.
“Such problems are not uncommon, especially when party workers sense they are closer to power,” a senior Congress functionary told IANS.
According to him, the possible denial of party ticket to several sitting legislators in the race for nominations is the main reason for much of the resentment.
“But the party has faith in Sonia Gandhi’s leadership and these dissensions will not have any impact on next year’s Lok Sabha election,” he insisted.
The optimism is however not borne out by reports of infighting pouring in from states such as Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and even Delhi, which has made the central leadership sit up and take notice.
As Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav took power in Uttar Pradesh — with vital support from the Congress and other groups — an ugly row erupted within the Congress over party’s participation in the state government.
Congress legislators keen to be in Yadav’s Cabinet lobbied hard with Gandhi but gave up, not without resentment, after she ruled out participation in the government. Yadav rubbed in the point when he said publicly that though many Congress members were keen to board his ship, he did not want to cause a split in the party.
Gandhi is hard put to stem the dissension in the four states of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Delhi and Rajasthan — ruled by her party — that go to the polls in two months, especially amid speculation many sitting legislators are being dumped.
