RANCHI: Infighting within the Jharkhand Congress has resurfaced once again after the recent elections in five states, with senior leader and Finance Minister Radhakrishna Kishore raising objections to the formation of the state’s new “jumbo-jet” committee. He shared a letter on his Facebook account addressed to state in-charge K. Raju, urging the party to draw lessons from the recent Assembly election results in five states.
Kishore, in his letter, stated that the Congress can be strengthened only if it takes decisive action on state leadership, rather than forming such “jumbo-jet” committees.
According to Kishore, his opposition is not against the party’s policies and principles, but rather against the functioning of the leadership. He argued that no matter how numerous the soldiers may be, victory remains elusive under a weak captain.
“If the captain is lax, the organisation cannot function effectively. The current situation is, therefore, a cause for concern,” said Kishore.
Notably, the Jharkhand Congress is currently headed by President Keshav Mahto Kamlesh, with K. Raju serving as the state in-charge.
Kishore further remarked that only time will tell how effective a committee comprising 314 members will prove to be for an 81-seat Legislative Assembly in Jharkhand.
“There is no need for a ‘jumbo-jet’ committee; what is truly required is strong leadership. The Congress party needs to be prepared for a struggle. However, individuals have been inducted into this committee whose very presence does not align with the leadership,” he said.
Kishore also stated that the State Congress Committee needs to learn lessons from the election results in five states. In his letter, he remarked that the adage, “applying ‘surma’ in one eye and ‘kajal’ in the other”—has been aptly reflected within the State Congress. He urged the central leadership to take cognisance of the prevailing situation.
According to Kishore, party workers want to know what disobedience was committed by former minister Yogendra Sao, a stalwart of the Congress in the Barkagaon region, that led to his expulsion from the party for three years. Conversely, former mayor Rama Khalkho, who had publicly criticised both the party in-charge and the Congress itself, was appointed as a member of the party’s Election Management Committee, he said.
According to Congress insiders, the party has constituted a core team comprising 314 members, dividing Jharkhand into various zones, in which associates have not been properly accommodated. His son, Prashant Kishore, who was also appointed as a secretary, has resigned.
The Congress party’s performance in the Assembly elections across five states, particularly in Assam, was lacklustre. Against this backdrop, political speculation is rife regarding the timing of Radhakrishna Kishore’s strategic manoeuvring.