Picture : Twitter / ANI
The Congress party ahead of the Uttar Pradesh and the polls in States of Uttarakhand , Manipur, Punjab , Manipur and Goa has suffered yet another jolt. Another member of the Generation next and close to former president Rahul Gandhi – RPN Singh, a former MoS Home has quit the party and joined the BJP.
The timing could not have come at a worse time for the Grand old party as it battles hard to stay united while taking on the formidable BJP.
RPN Singh’s exit and before that of Jitin Prasada indicate clearly that the handling of Uttar Pradesh by General Secretary , Uttar Pradesh Eas, Priyanka Gandhi Vdra has been inept. It seems that her calling the shots in the party’s affairs while not being either a MLA or a MP has miffed other leaders in the party. The parts had few months back had constituted the Pradesh Election Committee with likes Of UP Congress unit’s chief Ajay Kumar Lallu and former Union Ministers Salman Khurshid, Rajeev Shukla and RP N Singh. Now with RPN’s exit the onus lies on others to fill in the void.
Rajeev Shukla does figure in the list. But Shukla appears least bothered about the Congress party and it’s poll fortunes . He seems more interested in the affairs of the BCCI and the IPL. Such utter disinterest does not bode well for the party at all. Off- late one hardly found Shukla commenting On the Congress party but has often given bytes over IPL , IPL auction, resignation Of Virat Kohli as Test skipper among others.
Pradesh Election Committee of Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee constituted.
Ajay Kumar Lallu, Salman Khurshid, Rajiv Shukla, PL Punia, RPN Singh and Rashid Alvi to also be the members of the committee. pic.twitter.com/eNLyMSckkB
— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) August 11, 2021
The Congress it appears appears to have lost the battle even before it had begun . With pre- poll surveys in all channels as of now indicating the Samajwadi party likely to pose a challenge to the BJP and Congress no where in sight is warning signs for the party. Similarly, gloom is predicted for the party in states like Punjab, Manipur, Uttarakhand and Goa .If that happens though it rather hypothetical now . That would mean the party would be staring at an existential crisis.
RPN Singh is not alone there is is feeling that younger leaders have no say in the party and the Gandhi’s – Interim president Sonia Gandhi, former president Rahul Gandhi and now the third entrant Priyanka Gandhi Vadra are calling the shots . The suggestions by G- 23 leaders which included names like Manish Tewari, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Jairam Ramesh, Kapil Sibal , Shashi Tharoor, Anand Sharma have been overlooked . Their constructive points to revive the party is seen as a dissent intent . Despite their repeated pleas or need of urgency the Congress presidential polls and the organisational and CWC polls are on hold. The party appears not keen on reviving to take on the BJP juggernaut .
Following the latest RPN Singh’s exit and before that of other Congress the leaders like – Himanta Biswa Sarma ( BJP) , Sushmita Dev ( TMC) , Jyotiraditya Scindia ( BJP), Jitin Prasada ( BJP) , Priyanka Chaturvedi ( Shiv Sena) to name a few , one would have thought the Congress would introspect what is seriously wrong with the party and why the young faces are leaving ? But what one gets to see is complete denial and angry reaction. Congress National spokesperson Supriya Shrinate on RPN Singh exit said that only “cowards jump to parties with completely opposite ideology.”
It is time the Congress needs to really re- think going ahead with their leadership . The battle between the young and the old is sinking the party ahead of 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
With the Congress in dire straits means BJP and the Modi government have a road clear for return in 2024 until and unless the people think or vote otherwise . There is often a saying that in democracy one needs a strong opposition to keep the government on it’s toes . But what can one do when the opposition itself is in the self- destructive mood and unwilling to accept the reality on the ground and live in the denial mode . This is the predicament India is facing today .
