New Delhi, May 9
When Congress scion Rahul Gandhi reached out to the Left parties and made flattering remarks about his party’s opponents like the JD(U) and the AIADMK at a press conference earlier this week, he probably did not realise that his comments would not only lead to a misunderstanding with its allies but also add to the confusion in his own party.

With the allies taking strong objection to his comments, Congress media managers were immediately pressed into service to repair the damage done by young Gandhi’s statements. But in their zeal to protect the leadership, they only ended up tying themselves in knots. The spokespersons jumped from one extreme to another - describing political rivals like the AIADMK, the JD (U) and the TDP as secular on one day and heaping scorn on them the next day.

This lack of clarity in the party has claimed one victim. An embarrassed Congress removed Veerappa Moily from the chairmanship of the party’s media department last night and entrusted the job to AICC general secretary Janardhan Dwivedi. This confusion is reflective of the churning going on in the Congress these days as it wants to keep tis present flock of allies together but, at the same time, wants to keep the door ajar for potential post-poll partners.

With Congress spokespersons speaking in different voices, it was left to Dwivedi today explain the party’s position. He emphasised that UPA’s present allies will stick together and, as for the others, the situation will only become clear only after the election results are out on May 16. “After the results are out, we will know who stands with whom,” he said. Dwivedi also clarified that there was no question of giving a clean chit to the TDP as its is their chief opponent in Andhra Pradesh. He also maintained that the JD(U) would have to prove its secular credentials by severing its ties with the BJP.

Dwivedi clarified that he had been given charge of the media department only temporarily as Moily was busy with his election but party sources said Moily was dropped as his harsh comments about Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who is viewed by the Congress as a potential ally, did not go down well with the party leadership. Similarly, his recent statement on two key constituents of the UPA - the RJD and the LJP - were also not appreciated. Moily had yesterday said the Congress would not make a hero of the Bihar Chief Minister, adding that Nitsh Kumar “thinks too much of himself and will regret staying with the BJP”. Moily went a step further when he accused the RJD and the LJP of insulting the Congress over seat-sharing. Just a day before, the Congress had gone all out to mollify their miffed allies like Trinamul leader Mamata Bannerjee and DMK supremo M Karunanidhi stating categorically that would not forsake their present allies when they go hunting for post-poll partners. In his effort to be even-handed party spokesperson Ashwani Kumar described the AIADMK, JD(U) and the TDP as secular parties, which again was not to the liking of the leadership.