The crisis within the Congress appears to be unending, and the run-up to the June 19th Rajya Sabha polls clearly indicates, that the party High Command has not only failed to hold its MLAs together, but because of wrong selection, has in some of the seats, jeopardized its chances. It is evident that instead of securing at least 12 seats, the number of triumphant nominees might be much less.
The latest salvo has been fired in Gujarat, where on Thursday, two more MLAs tendered their resignation, thereby putting a question mark on the outcome of the two Upper House berths that should have been rightfully acquired by the Grand Old Party. In fact, the differences within the Gandhi family have left the workers and elected representatives at sea, and there are no clear-cut directions on what agenda should be followed in the future.
In Gujarat, for instance, the state unit had preferred Bharatsinh Solanki as the first choice, yet on the insistence of the central leadership, Shaktisinh Gohil was given this position. However, the order may be reversed when the results are announced, and if it so happens, it would only indicate that the writ of the Congress president was no longer running.
Prior to the announcement of the final list—there was also an attempt to foist Rajiv Shukla, either from Gujarat or Rajasthan, but since the MLAs did not endorse his nomination—his name had to be withdrawn from contention.
It is another story that subsequently, Shukla issued a statement claiming that he was comfortable serving the party, and this time round, was not in the race for Rajya Sabha. This is a face-saving ploy that revealed how, behind the scenes, the party was being manipulated. In Madhya Pradesh, Digvijaya Singh is virtually certain to make it to Parliament as is Jyotiraditya Scindia, who switched sides to the BJP, in order to ensure his entry into the Council of States. The fate of the second seat from the state lies uncertain, unless former Chief Minister Kamal Nath conjures a rabbit from the hat.
Kamal Nath primarily is focusing on the byelections necessitated by the defection to the BJP of 20 odd Congress MLAs, who whole-heartedly demonstrated their allegiance to Scindia, thus losing their membership. He is determined to carry the battle into the BJP camp and emerge victorious. His committed comprehension of contesting elections or conducting them is quite exceptional, and there is no person in the Congress besides him who recognises ground level realities.
Thus, it would not come as a surprise if he succeeds in bringing the party closer to its original numbers—that were originally reflected on the floor of the house before the Scindia episode. It is pertinent to mention here, that after the lockdown was partially eased, Kamal Nath immediately headed to Chhindwara, his constituency since 1980, on a three-day visit to express his solidarity with the people during this pandemic. This was his pro-active way of letting it known to state Congress workers that he continued to repose full faith in them.
In the adjoining Chhattisgarh, to put it mildly, many eyebrows were raised when K.T.S. Tulsi was accorded the nomination, even though he has little to do with the Congress. His selection, in all probability, was on account of the fact that he had been handling Robert Vadra’s multiple cases, besides being recommended by Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.
The Karnataka list was declared by the Congress on Friday and by announcing that Mallikarjun Kharge, former leader of the party in Lok Sabha, would be the candidate for Rajya Sabha, the high command also sent a decisive message to the workers, that the generational change within the organisation, was not on the cards, in the near-immediate future.
Kharge’s short-listing has Sonia Gandhi’s stamp, since throughout her political career, she has shown a marked preference for Dalit and minority candidates. Kharge joins the list of distinguished Congress functionaries, who despite having lost the Lok Sabha polls, are through the back-door, surreptitiously striving to enter Parliament. This action violates the principle brought into play by former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, that those defeated in the Lok Sabha, should not be brought into the Rajya Sabha, since they had been rejected by the people outright.
Throughout the ongoing Covid-19 crisis, the Congress has not acquitted itself respectably in any way; instead of presenting a united front, the party’s leadership has been fragmented. Sonia Gandhi was drafted to be the interim president, but it is amply clear, that once again, she wants to hand over the reins to Rahul, whose acceptability day-by-day is diminishing. Sonia Gandhi has numerous health issues and as of now is not meeting senior leaders.
Those who are able to obtain appointments with her at 10, Janpath do not get to see her—since they are ushered into a room, once occupied by Rahul Gandhi—and speak to her through an intercom. This phone-meeting may last for a few short minutes to a full one hour. This is the new normal politics during the current pandemic phobia.
Sonia is not the sole politician who is communicating via electronic devices; most of the meetings held by the Prime Minister with Chief Ministers, have also been conducted through various electronic modes available. In the Congress, top leaders are confined to their homes, and thus are reluctant to meet their supporters. However, this time, there is a validity for such social distancing. Between us.