Express News Service
NEW DELHI: A day before Congress central election authority issues notification for the AICC president polls, the party seems to be divided house with discontent brewing even before the election process has begun.
On a day when Rajasthan Chief Minister, a frontrunner for the AICC president post, held hectic parleys with Sonia Gandhi in the capital, several senior leaders told TNIE that the election process is proving to be a futile exercise as many state units have passed resolutions choosing Rahul Gandhi at the helm. At least 11 state units of the party have passed resolutions to choose Rahul for the top post of Congress President election, which is slated for October 17. The process for filing nominations for the election will be held from September 24 to 30.
Speaking to this daily, a prominent Congress leader said that in most of the states, PROs are carrying out the resolution at the behest of Central Election Authority chairman Madhusudan Mistry, which is a clear violation of the election process.
“Rahul Gandhi cannot be asked to take responsibility because the election is on. He can be asked to file nomination and contest elections. They cannot undo the election process now. Why is the election authority which is supposed to be neutral, telling his PROs who are directly reporting to Mistry to carry out these resolutions? Who has authorised him?” asks the leader. The leaders point out that in most of the states which have passed the resolutions on Rahul Gandhi, it was done without seeking the consensus of the PCC delegates.
Last week, Central Election Authority chairman Madhusudan Mistry has assured that elections to the AICC president post will be a free and fair exercise and electoral rolls will be published for transparency. “It is a charade. The promise of transparent elections is lip service. In my state, we were asked to pass the resolution for Rahul as the president,” said a leader from Gujarat.
Another G-23 leader pointed out that the resolutions are being passed with the blessings of the Gandhi family and Sonia Gandhi or Rahul Gandhi cannot claim innocence on it. “Rahul could have stopped the resolutions by a single tweet, but he didn’t. He is welcome to contest and win democratically,” he said.
There are divergent views on participating in the election process, said one leader. “One view is not to participate so that the whole process won’t be sanctified. Another view is to see at least the election is held as fairly and normally as possible,” he said. As speculation is rife that senior leader Manish Tewari may also throw in his hat, one leader hinted that they are keen to have a strong contest. “Tharoor may not get good support. But if there’s a keen contest, which might happen, then we’ll choose who the best candidate is. In Tharoor’s case, language is an issue,” he said.
Another senior leader who is part of G-23, said that they batted for sweeping reforms in Congress since the party has been declining consistently in many states. “The reason is that all nominated people are yes men and they can’t give any hard advice. Now it’s back to square one,” he said.
NEW DELHI: A day before Congress central election authority issues notification for the AICC president polls, the party seems to be divided house with discontent brewing even before the election process has begun.
On a day when Rajasthan Chief Minister, a frontrunner for the AICC president post, held hectic parleys with Sonia Gandhi in the capital, several senior leaders told TNIE that the election process is proving to be a futile exercise as many state units have passed resolutions choosing Rahul Gandhi at the helm. At least 11 state units of the party have passed resolutions to choose Rahul for the top post of Congress President election, which is slated for October 17. The process for filing nominations for the election will be held from September 24 to 30.
Speaking to this daily, a prominent Congress leader said that in most of the states, PROs are carrying out the resolution at the behest of Central Election Authority chairman Madhusudan Mistry, which is a clear violation of the election process.
“Rahul Gandhi cannot be asked to take responsibility because the election is on. He can be asked to file nomination and contest elections. They cannot undo the election process now. Why is the election authority which is supposed to be neutral, telling his PROs who are directly reporting to Mistry to carry out these resolutions? Who has authorised him?” asks the leader. The leaders point out that in most of the states which have passed the resolutions on Rahul Gandhi, it was done without seeking the consensus of the PCC delegates.
Last week, Central Election Authority chairman Madhusudan Mistry has assured that elections to the AICC president post will be a free and fair exercise and electoral rolls will be published for transparency. “It is a charade. The promise of transparent elections is lip service. In my state, we were asked to pass the resolution for Rahul as the president,” said a leader from Gujarat.
Another G-23 leader pointed out that the resolutions are being passed with the blessings of the Gandhi family and Sonia Gandhi or Rahul Gandhi cannot claim innocence on it. “Rahul could have stopped the resolutions by a single tweet, but he didn’t. He is welcome to contest and win democratically,” he said.
There are divergent views on participating in the election process, said one leader. “One view is not to participate so that the whole process won’t be sanctified. Another view is to see at least the election is held as fairly and normally as possible,” he said. As speculation is rife that senior leader Manish Tewari may also throw in his hat, one leader hinted that they are keen to have a strong contest. “Tharoor may not get good support. But if there’s a keen contest, which might happen, then we’ll choose who the best candidate is. In Tharoor’s case, language is an issue,” he said.
Another senior leader who is part of G-23, said that they batted for sweeping reforms in Congress since the party has been declining consistently in many states. “The reason is that all nominated people are yes men and they can’t give any hard advice. Now it’s back to square one,” he said.
