Need for better coordination in state Cong, says Ahmed
CHANDIGARH: Congress general secretary Shakeel Ahmed, who was appointed in charge of Haryana recently, feels that there is a need for better coordination among Congress leaders and workers in the state.
He was here on Saturday to his hold his first meeting with Congress MLAs, MPs, party block and district chiefs, besides others.
Ahmed admitted to be in the know of senior Congress leaders holding rallies. He said that though he had just taken charge of the state, he would ascertain whether or not Congress leaders did it (organising rallies) for vested interests or had some misconception about the party leadership. “I will discuss the issue in detail with Haryana Congress president Phool Chand Mullana to know the reasons.”
If leaders continued to hold rallies, Ahmed said, he would take up the issue with the party leadership. “During the meeting, some leaders complained subtly about regional bias in development in the state,” he said, adding that he would ensure that all leaders and workers understood that the party and unity within it were of paramount importance.
When asked about the absence of some leaders from the meeting, the Congress leader said there was no bickering in the party and several leaders who could not make it to the meet had informed him about their engagements elsewhere.
On the question of appointing a regular president of the Haryana Congress, Ahmed said Mullana was the regular president and there was no doubt about it.
CONSPICUOUS BY ABSENCE
Congress general secretary Shakeel Ahmed said several party leaders had informed him about their engagements elsewhere as a reason for not making it to the party meet in Chandigarh. Ambala MP and union minister Kumari Selja, Gurgaon MP Rao Inderjit, Bhiwani MP Shruti Choudhry, Sonepat MP Jitender Malik and Rajya Sabha member Ishwar Singh were conspicuous by their absence.
Besides, AICC general secretary Birender Singh, almost all MLAs and ministers were present at the meeting.