Leaders sulk over Babbar as UPCC chief ‘ Kanshi Ram a saint, BJP causing frenzy’
Actor- turned- politician Raj Babbar’s appointment as Uttar Pradesh Congress president has put party workers in the celebration mode but the state leaders have gone into a sulk.
A section of party leaders, who never took Mr Babbar’s candidature seriously and could not look beyond his star value, are upset over his appointment to the coveted post and that too at this crucial juncture when the state is gearing up for Assembly elections.
One such leader who did not wish to be identified said, “Raj Babbar is a casteless face and does not fit into the caste- ridden politics of Uttar Pradesh. We needed someone who could fit into the caste mould.”
Majority of these leaders — some, claimants to the post themselves — are apparently so upset with the development that they have not even issued the customary press release welcoming the appointment.
Another leader, a former union minister, said, “This is an experiment that will not succeed. ( Mr) Babbar is not taken seriously by the people and he is only good for campaigning.”
The party workers, on the other hand, are jubilant over the development. Haji Siraj Mehndi, chairman of the UPCC minority cell said that Mr Babbar’s clean image and popularity would boost the morale of party workers. The newly appointed Uttar Pradesh Congress chief, Raj Babbar, on Wednesday described BSP founder Kanshi Ram as a “saint”, while attacking the BJP for creating “unmaad” ( frenzy) and chief minister Akhilesh Yadav for expressing his inability to check “loot” in the state.
Mr Babbar’s praise of the late Kanshi Ram and silence on the BSP chief Mayawati is significant. This is because a section of the party strongly believes that the Congress and the BSP may reach an understanding in the UP polls which is going to be a “do or die” battle for at least three parties — the BJP, BSP and Congress — for different reasons.
The Congress is not keen on projecting its chief ministerial face in the multicornered contests. This was clarified by the AICC general secretary in- charge of UP, Ghulam Nabi Azad recently.
Mr Babbar, who met the Congress president Sonia Gandhi and vice president Rahul Gandhi during the day, claimed that the Congress would form a government in Uttar Pradesh after the Assembly polls in 2017. However, he remained tight- lpiped on the number of seats the grand old party would fight on its own.
He also did not give a straight reply to questions about pre- poll alliances with like- minded parties, in general, and the BSP, in particular.
During his interaction with the media Mr Babbar attacked BJP chief Amit Shah without naming him. He said, “Tadipar log Uttar Pradesh mein aakar chehare bana rahe hain.” ( Those banned from entering their state are coming to UP to make leaders, candidates).
He also criticised the Samajwadi Party, without naming it, saying it had converted into a family party.