Rumblings in Congress over supporting AAP out in the open
There is a strong unease in the party over propping up the newcomer which has risen on a fierce and often personalized attack on Congress over corruption.
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NEW DELHI: Rumblings in Congress over supporting the Aam Aadmi Party grew louder on Tuesday as misgivings of a section in the party which feels it should have kept out of the power game after its rout in the Delhi polls found more open expression.
Voicing the apprehension that Congress had erred in backing AAP, party general secretaryJanardan Dwivedi told the media, "There is also an opinion that perhaps the decision to supportAAP in this manner (offering outside support) was not correct. Some people feel this."
Citing the section opposed to any truck with AAP, Dwivedi said, "Their argument is that Delhi voters have not given their support to Congress to the extent that even the leader of opposition will not be from Congress party. We were placed at the third position. Perhaps, it would have been appropriate for Congress to say that it is not our responsibility to form or not form a government."
While Dwivedi's remarks expose a clear divide in the party where some feel rushing to offer outside support was a miscalculation, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi's political secretary Ahmed Patel firmly ruled out any change in the party's position with regard to AAP.
When his attention was drawn to Dwivedi's remarks, Patel said, "In any organization, there are going to be different opinions. But our support to AAP is there... Now, when we have extended support, we hope that they do good work and fulfill promises given by them."
Yet, the irony of Dwivedi's statement seems to indicate that Congress is conflicted by a decision that was supposed to be a trap for its nemesis in Delhi. Congress managers had estimated that AAP would not accept its support to form the government and would come across as a party running away from responsibilities. With AAP calling the bluff, the tables seem to have been turned.
Despite the assessment of Congress circles that the party will follow through its assurance of support, there is a strong unease in the party over propping up the newcomer which has risen on a fierce and often personalized attack on Congress over corruption.
After former Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit's pointed comment that support to AAP was not unconditional, Dwivedi's is the first major voice in AICC to articulate in-house anger againstArvind Kejriwal and is seen to be significant in the backdrop of noisy demonstrations by party workers.
On Tuesday, east Delhi MP Sandeep Dikshit, son of the former CM, also voiced scepticism over AAP's capacity to deliver on electoral promises like mohalla (neighbourhood) committees, saying any channel of spending public money could not be independent of scrutiny.
Arguing Congress might have been better off in the opposition, Dwivedi said, "It is not our duty to see who forms government or not. This is indeed a thinking within the party."
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The schism in Congress is not a good augury for the new government that is yet to take office. A group in the state unit rues that the party is losing the post-defeat plot since it should stick to waiting to see how Kejriwal delivers his promises and wait for him to fumble. Instead, the dissent is portraying Congress as unsure and jittery.
In contrast, many leaders who were initially opposed to backing AAP now believe Kejriwal should be allowed to govern as it increases the chances of his failure. As a Congress MLA said, "We will keep an eye on his governance in the assembly. We won't let him get away lightly."
The dissonance within points to the bigger challenge of forging unity in the state unit. While the party was a one-woman rule of Dikshit for 15 years, her defeat has opened up the game with factional leaders rushing in to fill the vacuum. Also, the experienced J P Aggarwal has made way for a relatively junior Arvinder Singh Lovely as state chief while Dikshit too is likely to remain a strong voice. This is likely to increase the jostling between camps.
Suddenly, as many concede, the process of gathering wits and preparing for Lok Sabha challenge to defend seven seats appears a distant goal.
Voicing the apprehension that Congress had erred in backing AAP, party general secretaryJanardan Dwivedi told the media, "There is also an opinion that perhaps the decision to supportAAP in this manner (offering outside support) was not correct. Some people feel this."
Citing the section opposed to any truck with AAP, Dwivedi said, "Their argument is that Delhi voters have not given their support to Congress to the extent that even the leader of opposition will not be from Congress party. We were placed at the third position. Perhaps, it would have been appropriate for Congress to say that it is not our responsibility to form or not form a government."
While Dwivedi's remarks expose a clear divide in the party where some feel rushing to offer outside support was a miscalculation, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi's political secretary Ahmed Patel firmly ruled out any change in the party's position with regard to AAP.
When his attention was drawn to Dwivedi's remarks, Patel said, "In any organization, there are going to be different opinions. But our support to AAP is there... Now, when we have extended support, we hope that they do good work and fulfill promises given by them."
Yet, the irony of Dwivedi's statement seems to indicate that Congress is conflicted by a decision that was supposed to be a trap for its nemesis in Delhi. Congress managers had estimated that AAP would not accept its support to form the government and would come across as a party running away from responsibilities. With AAP calling the bluff, the tables seem to have been turned.
Despite the assessment of Congress circles that the party will follow through its assurance of support, there is a strong unease in the party over propping up the newcomer which has risen on a fierce and often personalized attack on Congress over corruption.
After former Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit's pointed comment that support to AAP was not unconditional, Dwivedi's is the first major voice in AICC to articulate in-house anger againstArvind Kejriwal and is seen to be significant in the backdrop of noisy demonstrations by party workers.
On Tuesday, east Delhi MP Sandeep Dikshit, son of the former CM, also voiced scepticism over AAP's capacity to deliver on electoral promises like mohalla (neighbourhood) committees, saying any channel of spending public money could not be independent of scrutiny.
Arguing Congress might have been better off in the opposition, Dwivedi said, "It is not our duty to see who forms government or not. This is indeed a thinking within the party."
The schism in Congress is not a good augury for the new government that is yet to take office. A group in the state unit rues that the party is losing the post-defeat plot since it should stick to waiting to see how Kejriwal delivers his promises and wait for him to fumble. Instead, the dissent is portraying Congress as unsure and jittery.
In contrast, many leaders who were initially opposed to backing AAP now believe Kejriwal should be allowed to govern as it increases the chances of his failure. As a Congress MLA said, "We will keep an eye on his governance in the assembly. We won't let him get away lightly."
The dissonance within points to the bigger challenge of forging unity in the state unit. While the party was a one-woman rule of Dikshit for 15 years, her defeat has opened up the game with factional leaders rushing in to fill the vacuum. Also, the experienced J P Aggarwal has made way for a relatively junior Arvinder Singh Lovely as state chief while Dikshit too is likely to remain a strong voice. This is likely to increase the jostling between camps.
Suddenly, as many concede, the process of gathering wits and preparing for Lok Sabha challenge to defend seven seats appears a distant goal.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/assembly-elections-2013/delhi-assembly-elections/Rumblings-in-Congress-over-supporting-AAP-out-in-the-open/articleshow/27869540.cms
Published: December 25, 2013 01:27 IST | Updated: December 25, 2013 02:19 IST
Binny’s exclusion, a surprise in AAP
The HinduAam Admi party MLA from Laxmi Nagar Vinod Kumar 'Binny'. Photo: Sushil Kumar Verma
The missing of MLA Vinod Kumar Binny’s name from the list of Council of Ministers sent by Aam Aadmi Party convener Arvind Kejriwal to the Delhi Lieutenant Governor on Tuesday has surprised many. Mr. Binny has recorded his strong resentment over his exclusion.
Mr. Binny was the likeliest of the AAP MLAs to be inducted in the Cabinet for, as the then municipal councillor he was the first elected representative to join the party.
Sources in the AAP expressed surprise as Mr. Binny’s brainchild, the institution of gram sabha implemented in his ward in Lakshmi Nagar, was picked by Mr. Kejriwal as a model for implementing development works in the capital. During campaign, Mr. Kejriwal mobilised voters by referring to the gram sabha and Mr. Binny umpteen times.
Mr. Binny was reportedly angry at two relatively non-entities, Satyendra Jain and Girish Soni, being preferred to his administrative experience. Besides, he has the credit of defeating A.K. Walia, Congress stalwart in the Sheila Dikshit government, by more than 8,000 votes in Lakshmi Nagar. Meanwhile, Mr. Binny reportedly told the media while leaving Mr. Kejriwal’s residence in a huff that he would organise a press conference on this issue and make a disclosure.