HVK Archives: Cong.divided on the Demand for state govt.'s dismissal
Cong.divided on the Demand for state govt.'s dismissal - The Afternoon Despatch and Courier
Mobin Pandit
()
21 July 1997
Title: Cong.divided on the Demand for state govt.'s dismissal
Author: Mobin Pandit
Publication: The Afternoon Despatch and Courier
Date: July 21, 1997
The Congress is divided on the issue of dismissal of the Shiv Sena-BJP
government in Maharashtra. The section opposed to Sharad Pawar In the state
Congress - feels that dismissing the saffron dispensation could prove
disastrous considering that the Sena has been persistently talking of a
planned conspiracy behind the desecration controversy Involving Dr.
Babasaheb Ambedkar', statue In Ramabai Nagar here, which sparked off riots
on July 11.
"So long as there is suspicion in the minds of people about the identity of
the conspirators, dismissing the government would smack of a vendetta," a
prominent Pawar detractor said requesting anonymity. "And, if later the
Sena could somehow prove that the Opposition was at the root of the row,
the Congress would have little chance at the hustings," he added.
Another Pawar foe felt that the attack on Chhagan Bhujbal's residence by
Irate Sainiks on July 13 was a deplorable Incident indeed, but instead of
demanding the government's dismissal, Congressmen should organise protest
at district level to highlight the ruling party's "repressive" attitude and
wait "patiently" till the next election.
"One thing we are sure of is that this government will keep committing
mistakes, so we will have enough opportunities coming out way to corner
it," the leader added.
The anti-Pawar camp is sceptical about the move within the party demanding
action against the state government as the campaign is led entirely by his
confirmed cronies, among them, Bhujbal and Madhukar Pichad, leaders of
opposition In the state council and assembly respectively, and Ranjit
Deshmukh, the state party chief.
Pawar detractors feel that his move demanding the saffron coalition's
dismissal is a ploy to put pressure on party president Sitaram Kesri and
bargain for a seat in the Congress Working Committee (CWC), election of
whose members is due early next month.
"Pawar is doubtful of his victory as he would require over 200 votes to get
elected to the high-power CWC," a leader said.
The CWC has 20 members, apart from the party president who is its
ex-officio chief. Ten of these members are elected while the other ten are
nominated by the party president. CWC members are elected by AICC
delegates numbering over 1,100. Maharashtra sends barely 79 of these 1,100
AICC delegates.
"Even if Pawar gets sixty votes from his home state, how would he manage
the remaining 150? An all-powerful Kesri would make sure that Pawar loses
and gets humiliated in turn in case he contests," a Kesri cronie here said.
He claimed that Kesri was In favour of accommodating Govindrao Adik, a
friend-turned-foe of Pawar, In the CWC rather than the ambitious Baramati
baron. "Kesri is much shrewder a politician. He met I.K. Gujral to demand
the Maharashtra government's dismissal to keep pressure built on the prime
minister. He was only too aware that the Centre was In no position to do
so," the Kesri supporter claimed.
"If the Centre dismisses the government in Maharashtra, it will have to
justify why it did not act against the Laloo Prasad Yadav government in
Bihar and the Mayawati dispensation In Uttar Pradesh in spite of persistent
demands by the opposition in the two states," he said.
Back
Top
|
