3 months to poll, but no word from AICC on party strategy

Sushil Manav

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 18

With less than three months left for the Assembly poll in Haryana, a state of confusion prevails among the Congressmen in the state due to “indifference” of the party’s central leadership over the state’s affairs.

Congress leaders, particularly those opposed to the state party chief Ashok Tanwar, believe that a virtual walkover was being given to the BJP in Haryana due to the apathy of the All India Congress Committee towards party affairs in the state.

“Like Haryana, Maharashtra will also go to the polls in October this year. The Assembly elections in Jharkhand are due in November-December. The party leadership has already taken an initiative in Maharashtra and Jharkhand with the appointment of new state presidents, but Haryana does not seem to be on the party’s agenda,” said a senior Congress leader who did not want to be identified.

He said it was not just about change of leadership in the state because the party was not even showing any interest in constituting the pradesh election committee or the campaign committee, which are to be announced at the AICC level only.

“With Rahul Gandhi stated to be out of the country for a week, things are bound to get delayed further,” he added.

Former Assembly Speaker Kuldeep Sharma, who is considered to be one of the vocal Congress leaders, said party workers were unable to understand why the leadership was silent so close to the elections.

The party’s MLA from Ganaur, Sharma, who contested Lok Sabha election from Karnal this time, said it was really unfortunate that with the Assembly poll round the corner, the party was not trying to get its act together, rather its leaders were squabbling. “The leadership should immediately take steps to enthuse the party workers so that the Congress could give a plausible fight to the ruling party,” he added.

Karan Singh Dalal, Bhupinder Singh Hooda loyalist and MLA from Palwal, said Congress workers just failed to understand why Haryana was not on the priority of the party high command.

“At the time of Lok Sabha poll, tickets for Punjab were announced ahead of Haryana, though our state was to go to the polls ahead of the neighbouring state. Now, while leadership issues of Maharashtra and Jharkhand stand resolved, we have been left in the lurch,” said Dalal.

Though Tanwar could not be contacted, Sudesh Aggarwal, convener of the Election Management Group appointed by him, said the state Congress president constituted the group with the aim of taking all leaders on board for the upcoming poll.

Leaders perplexed

• Former Speaker Kuldeep Sharma,  a vocal Congress leader, has said party workers are unable to understand why the leadership is silent so close to the elections
• Karan Singh Dalal, BS Hooda loyalist, has said Congress workers have just failed to understand why Haryana is not on the priority of the party high command