Congress deputes senior leaders to pacify rebels
DISSENT Party grapples with 50 dissidents, including 4 exministers, 6 exMLAs JAIPUR:
With 48 hours left for the withdrawal of nominations for the assembly elections in Rajasthan, the Congress has deputed senior party leaders to prevent dissension in the party after the ticket distribution.
The party is reportedly grappling with more than 50 dissidents including four former ministers and six ex-MLAs. Looking into this, it has deployed a team of senior leaders from Delhi for all seven divisions in Rajasthan to calm down the anger of dissenting candidates, sources in the party said.
In Jaipur division, the rebel management exercise will be monitored by Ghulam Nabi Azad, Mukul Wasnik and Rajiv Shukla.
Similarly, the party has deployed Akhilesh Singh and Imran Kidwai for Ajmer, Sunil Jakhad and Kuldeep Bishnoi for Bikaner, Akhilesh Singh and Parvez Hashmi (ex-MP) for Kota, Bhupinder Hooda (ex-CM Haryana) and Chhaya Verma (MP) for Bharatpur, Vilas Muttemwar and Hari Bahu Rathore for Jodhpur and Rajiv Shukla, Sanjay Singh (MP) and Madhusudan Mystry (MP) for Udaipur divisions.
The state Congress has appointed coordinators with the each team. In addition to them, state leaders such as Ashok Gehlot, Sachin Pilot, AICC general secretary incharge Avinash Pande and four secretaries will also be touch with the rebels, said the sources.
The party has completed the exercise of identifying rebels who could pose serious threats. Among such dissenters are former ministers Mahadev Singh Khandela from Khandela, Babu-
Party men going rebel is nothing new. It happens in all parties when an individual is denied ticket. Similarly, there is an aftermath to pacify them. Some are also assured place in govt, once party comes in power SENIOR CONGRESS LEADER, on condition of anonymity
lal Nagar from Dudu, Lalit Bhati from Ajmer South and Brahmdev Kumawat from Masuda.
In addition to them, six former MLAs too have filed their nominations after being denied the party ticket. They are CS Baid from Taranagar, Sanyam Lodha from Sirohi, Nathram Sinodia from Kishangarh, CL Premi from Keshoraipatan, Bhimraj Bhati from Pali, and Haji Abdul Kayum from Masudha as candidate of Rastriya Loktantrik Party. “Party men going rebel is nothing new. It happens in all the parties when an individual is denied ticket. Similarly, there is an aftermath to pacify them. Some are also assured place in government, once party comes in power,” said a senior leader on the condition of anonymity.
Political analyst Narayan Bareth said its duty of both the parties – Congress and BJP — to make efforts to pacify rebels. “What has happened in these elections in ticket distribution has been never seen before – the kind of anarchy, mismanagement and protest are for the first time. These parties were flexible in ticket distribution to an extent that they forgot their principle. Certainly, damage will be there as their image has been dented, rest it has to be seen to what extent they can repair it,” he said.
The Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee after the 2013 assembly elections had expelled over 150 members, which included senior leaders, for antiparty activities. However, for many the expulsion has been withdrawn.
Congress spokesperson Satyendra Singh Raghav said, “Efforts are being made to pacify rebels by senior leaders and we are hopeful that they will withdraw their nomination in support of party candidate.”