Talk of Rahul Gandhi’s elevation, an AICC reshuffle, holding of an AICC meeting and pre-poll alliances for elections in four states has begun in Congress circles, with party officials indicating that
Talk of Rahul Gandhi’s elevation, an AICC reshuffle, holding of an AICC meeting and pre-poll alliances for elections in four states has begun in Congress circles, with party officials indicating that a decision in this regard could be taken once party vice-president Rahul Gandhi returns from his foreign trip, that is, after January 8.
Rahul loyalists say his elevation has already been delayed. “It should have been in UPA-2 (during 2009 to 2014). Rahulji is ready to take over the party and its timing should not be linked to the Assembly polls in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Assam, Kerala and Puducherry this year, or even Punjab next year,” they said.
In such a situation Mr Gandhi’s elevation would figure at the top of the party agenda, and this would be decided by the CWC, the highest decision-making body in the Congress. Once this takes place, he would reconstitute the AICC and an AICC meeting could be called later. Changes could take place in “Uttarayan”, after “Makar Sankranti” (January 14), viewed others.
On pre-poll alliances, they said the current mood is to go by the PCCs in the election-going states. While Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi will have a decisive say on whether or not to have pre-poll pacts with the regional parties, this question does not arise in Kerala as the Congress itself is leading a coalition — the UDF. But the situation in Bengal is tricky hence the Congress high command cannot go by the PCC. This is because an alliance with the Left there would have a direct bearing on the polls in Kerala.
The Congress is not coming to power in West Bengal but it can lose power in Kerala, feared a section of the Congress.
The Congress might have allied with the Left in the Lok Sabha elections but an alliance with it in the Assembly polls as a junior partner could give the BJP space in Kerala. But the West Bengal Congress is against a pre-poll alliance with the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamul Congress.
As for the Ajit Jogi tape controversy, the party will decide whether or not to take action against him on the basis of the Chhattisgarh PCC report after Mr Rahul Gandhi’s return.
AICC disciplinary action committee (DAC) chief A.K. Antony is said to have been briefed about these developments in the last 24 hours. Mr Antony did not respond when asked when the DAC would meet.
Chhattisgarh Congress chief Bhupesh Baghel has already demanded a probe by a Centre-appointed team of officials into the audio tape controversy, which has created a political storm in the state, contending the state chief secretary would not be able to conduct a fair inquiry. “Chief secretary is part of the state government and hence it would be difficult for him to conduct a fair probe into the matter. Besides, he is not a technical expert and the examination of the tape demands some technical officers. Officials from the Centre or other states should be appointed for a fair probe,” he demanded.
