Fissures resurface in Cong

Sandeep Rawat

Tribune News Service

Haridwar, May 29

Factionalism within the Congress has resurfaced with the Haridwar Zila Panchayat vice-chairperson questioning former legislator Ambrish Kumar over his recent statement of contesting from the Ranipur-BHEL Assembly segment.

Rao Affaq Ali, ZP vice-chairperson and former working district Congress president, along with 2012 party candidate Balwant Singh Chauhan and Haridwar youth Congress president Ram Vishal Dev, has resented Ambrish Kumar’s statement.

Ambrish Kumar, who is the chairman of Pradesh Congress Media Committee, had contested as an independent in the last Assembly election when he was denied the party ticket and Balwant Singh Chauhan was named the official party candidate.

Kumar had then rebelled against the Congress, accusing the then Haridwar parliamentarian and Union Minister for Agriculture Harish Rawat of betrayal as he had assured the former of a party ticket.

Now, the anti-Ambrish faction is raising this aspect and terming him equivalent to the nine rebel legislators who recently defected to the BJP.

Rao Affaq said Ambrish was not a loyal party activist as he had joined the Samajwadi Party after deserting the Congress in the 1980s and had remained with the party for almost a decade.

“Ambrish, due to his political ambitions, couldn’t adjust in the Samajwadi Party too. So he formed his own Rashtriya Krantikari Manch and then joined Congress prior to the 2012 Assembly elections. He rebelled when he was denied the party ticket from Ranipur-BHEL and contested against the official party candidate Balwant Singh Chauhan, which eventually benefitted BJP candidate Aadesh Chauhan who emerged the winner. Such politicians have been weakening the Congress and now he is again staking claim to the Ranipur seat, despite knowing that it is the party high command which decides on ticket allocation,” Rao Affaq stated.

Citing four dozen odd party leaders hailing from Ranipur-BHEL segment being in ticket contention, Balwant Singh Chauhan alleged that last time Ambrish had promised him support during elections.

“Instead of supporting me, Ambrish rebelled and contested against me as an independent. Such politicians remain in one party till their interests are taken care of and take the same route as the nine rebel dissidents,” Chauhan stated.

Despite contesting as an independent, Ambrish had bagged 19,000 votes while Chauhan stood at the fourth position.

Expressing surprise over some party leaders making an issue out of his aspiration, Ambrish said instead of focusing on strengthening the party, some leaders were weakening it, which eventually might benefit the BJP.

“I don’t want to comment on the remarks of some party leaders and activists as it’s not my style. I have been associated with the Congress since the 70’s and have been working to strengthen the party base in Haridwar. Seeking ticket is no indiscipline but speaking in open against fellow party leaders and workers surely amounts to indiscipline. Ticket allocation depends on high command but coming in open and casting allegations itself proves that party workers are more concerned about me not getting the ticket,” Ambrish added.