Rajiv aide fires salvo at Sonia
George Iype in New Delhi
For the first time since she took over as Congress president, Sonia Gandhi's
leadership and political acumen have been questioned by a staunch
Rajiv Gandhi loyalist, former Union minister S S Ahluwalia.
In a letter to Sonia on Monday, Ahluwalia lashed out at the Congress
leadership for opposing the Vajpayee government's decision to impose
President's rule in Bihar.
He said the imposition of central rule in Bihar was ''impartial, judicious,
correct and the need of the hour". "But unfortunately, our party
forgot its moral and constitutional responsibilities and opposed invoking of
Article 356 for the sake of opposition,'' the letter said.
Ahluwalia, a former Rajya Sabha member from Bihar, also demanded that the
party reverse its stand on the crucial issue, keeping in mind
the political scenario in the state and Bihar Congressmen's
sentiments.
While Ahluwalia claimed the Congress leadership's "unwise
decision" has caused frustration among partymen in Bihar, many in the
party say resentment is brewing in the Congress on the eve of a crucial
assembly election because Sonia's style is
"directionless".
Ahluwalia told Rediff On The NeT that he is "lashing out at the Congress
leadership" because the decision to oppose use of Article 356 in Bihar went
against the party's Pachhmarhi declaration that it will not fight shy of
fulfilling its constitutional obligations.
Stating that Sonia's decision to oppose President's rule in
Bihar was necessitated by "political considerations", he said the
Congress is "exposing itself as a party without courage".
"I think the Congress leadership lacked the courage to agree to
President's rule in Bihar, simply because it did not want to
antagonise leaders like Laloo Prasad Yadav and Mulayam Singh Yadav,"
Ahluwalia said.
Though his criticism of Sonia is being taken lightly by Congress leaders -- he is seen as a political lightweight, a member of the party's former 'Shouting
Brigade' in Parliament -- many believe as an assembly election in Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Mizoram and Rajasthan
approaches, the Congress president is grappling with a plethora
of problems.
Sonia's dependence on leaders like Arjun Singh, K Natwar Singh and Makhan
Lal Fotedar for political counsel has drawn flak from other Congress
leaders. But none has dared -- like Ahluwalia -- to come out in the open and
question her ability to take crucial decisions.
Three months ago, Sonia picked up a confrontation with
Sharad Pawar, the party's Lok Sabha leader, over the Congress failure in the Rajya Sabha
election in Maharashtra. But she did not persist with the confrontation for fear that it tarnished the façade of unity she had tried to create in the party.
"Sonia never cares for consensus on key policy issues and major decisions like
choosing candidates for elections," a senior Rajya Sabha member told Rediff
On The NeT.
"This is not creating disunity in the party now. But it is giving
some leaders a handle to exploit the situation and speak in different
voices," he said.
For instance, he said, incorrect advice from her foreign
policy advisors has led to a situation that Congress leaders
are publicly speaking for and against the Comprehensive Test
Ban Treaty.
Sonia's first major test lies just ahead -- the selection of
candidates for next month's assembly election. "The Congress has bright chances
of winning Delhi and Rajasthan. But if the candidates are not
selected judiciously by Sonia, it will ruin her reputation and party
unity," a Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee leader said.
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