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UP dissidence worries Congress

Tara Shankar Sahay in New Delhi

The continuing defiance by Congress dissidents in Uttar Pradesh has left the party high command apprehensive of organisational polls scheduled for September-end.

Despite assertions by Sonia Gandhi's loyalists, that she continues to be the undisputed leader, the developments in Uttar Pradesh have rattled them.

" Of course, Sonia Gandhi will be unanimously re-elected party chief," averred party general secretary Ambika Soni. "She is our undisputed leader and no one can challenge her leadership now or in the future."

" How many times do I have to repeat that Madam Sonia Gandhi's authority cannot be challenged because the party is unanimously behind her," Congress spokesman Ajit Jogi reiterated. " Madam is our leader and she will continue to be our leader," he emphasised.

Congress general secretary in-charge of Uttar Pradesh Sushil Kumar Shinde's attempts to restructure the UP party unit have failed. He wanted to appoint five working presidents and constitute a co-ordination committee to pacify dissidents belonging to the Jitendra Prasada camp.

Prasada is having a 'running feud' with state party chief Salman Khursheed, acknowledged as Sonia's handpicked man. Even though Sonia reappointed Khursheed as the UP party chief after disbanding the state unit, Prasada has been up in arms over it and has been consistently at loggerheads with the central leadership.

The two recent public rallies at Jhansi and Lucknow, organised by Prasada (they also featured deceased party leader Rajesh Pilot), were critical of the party's economic polices. It became evident to the high command that the dissidents had to be pacified and brought in line with the high command's perceptions if Sonia's re-election had to be smooth.

Thus came the Shinde initiative. However, these were blocked by Sonia loyalists, including Khursheed, N D Tewari and Chandrajit Yadav and Pramod Tewari.

" I don't see the rationale behind restructuring the UPCC before the organisational polls," Tewari told rediff.com. "After the polls, Sonia Gandhi should be given a free hand to effect an overall restructuring of the party and not only the UPCC," he said.

Khursheed voiced similar sentiments, underscoring that the party chief could carry out the necessary changes according to her perception and needs.

" In view of this, the clamour for changes in the state unit before the organisational polls is ridiculous and the sooner it is realised, the better," Khursheed contended.

Khurheed is understood to have convinced the high command (read Sonia) that the proposed appointments of five working presidents were bound to undermine his authority and boost the political ambitions of arch-rival Prasada.

It is learnt that while the idea of inducting working presidents has been shelved at least for now, the dissidents in the Prasada camp are determined to ensure the constitution of the co-ordination committee.

Prasada loyalists, especially legislators Surendra Awasthi and Sarva Shakti Singh, have kept up the banner of revolt, underlining that they are fed up of the "dictatorial " attitude of Khursheed and his cronies.

According to well-placed sources in the AICC, Awasthi has said the dissidents would not rest until they receive " justice " from the central leadership.

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