A decision will be taken within two months, a Congress leader said.
NEW DELHI: After the poll debacle in Uttar Pradesh early this year, and resignation of the Congress state unit president Ajay Kumar Lallu, the party has, till now, failed to appoint the head in the key electoral state. However, a fresh round of names have come up for consideration for the post before the high command. A decision will be taken within two months, a Congress leader said.
According to a source privy to developments in the party, there are three candidates who are being considered for the position: Virendra Chaudhary, Pramod Tiwari and Rajesh Mishra currently. However, it is expected by other top members of the party that Pramod Tiwari would not be given the post. The leaders say that the move will create resentment in the cadre, as Tiwari was recently given a berth in Rajya Sabha from Rajasthan. Apart from that, his daughter Aradhna Mona Mishra was also given Assembly seat ticket by Congress in the recently held elections which she won. A Congress leader said, “Will everything be given to Pramod Tiwari only? Where will the other loyal and hardworking party leaders go?”
The Congress leaders consider the decision to be of utmost importance as the party cadre, they say, is scattered and without any hope. In order to recalibrate the rank and file of the party in the electorally important state, the party leaders say, the high command should take a quick and firm decision which would be accepted by all. With 80-odd Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh, the party wants to kickstart its preparations for the 2024 by appointing the UPCC president. However, a leader close to Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said, “The leadership is stuck at the moment on whom to choose for the position.” He further added, “A name is not getting cleared unfortunately.”
Verendra Chaudhary, who is currently being considered for the position and who was one of two legislators winning from the Congress, said, “I have been hearing that my name has been there for consideration for the last three months. Right now, there are many problems faced by the leadership, so there is nothing clear for now. And whoever our leadership thinks is fit for the job and can rejuvenate the cadre, will be given the job.” However, some party leaders believe that it is Rajesh Mishra who has strong chances of being appointed as the state unit president. If some party leaders are to be believed, Mishra is pushing for his name to be locked for the post and is meanwhile preparing for it. Talking to The Sunday Guardian, Rajesh Mishra, a former Lok Sabha MP, said, “See, I am the loyal person of the party, since 1996, whatever the party has told me I have done; I have done what the party leadership Soniaji, Rahulji, Priyankaji have said.” He further added: “If I was told by the leadership to go against my will, I have done that. They have told me 3-4 times and I have done it. Let’s see what they decide.”