NEW DELHI: Congress could see exit of some other party leaders and results of five assembly elections could be crucial as many disgruntled leaders could leave the party in coming days, say sources.
Exit of former union minister and general secretary R P N Singh has again brought focus on the growing list of disgruntled Congress leaders, who feel sidelined in the party and look for better prospects.
Sources said that results of five election-bound states would be important as many party leaders await to see how party performs.
“Many Congress leaders are in touch with other parties and we could see exodus in the coming days. Meanwhile, wins are mandatory in Punjab, Uttarakhand and Goa. And if we lose Punjab, it will be a big setback,” said a senior party leader.
The party has seen series of senior party leaders leaving saying the party has changed and it lacks leadership to work for the welfare of people.
Leaders leaving include, close aides of former party chief Rahul Gandhi and general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.
There is buzz that veteran party leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, another young leader Milind Deora are also likely to change track. Azad has been working in Jammu and Kashmir and could float a new party ahead of election in union territories.
“There will be exodus from the party in Gujarat ahead of assembly elections later this year. Many leaders are in touch with other parties and any wrong move by the party could hurt the its prospects,” said another leader.
Only those willing to struggle will survive in 'new Congress', says UPCC chief as party announces third list for UP polls
The Congress on Wednesday released its third list of 89 candidates for Uttar Pradesh elections, reserving 40 per cent seats for women.
The party has already declared 255 candidates in all for the state assembly elections.
Its first list had 125 candidates and another 41 were declared in the second list.
The third list of candidates includes 37 women.
The Congress's first and second list had 50 and 16 women, respectively.
Some of the women fielded by the Congress include those associated with the anti-CAA protests.
The party is contesting UP assembly polls with women in focus and have reserved 40 per cent seats for them.
It has also released a separate manifesto for youth, assuring them of employment opportunities and has laid down a roadmap of how to get those jobs, if the party elected to power.
Uttar Pradesh elections are being held in seven phases starting February 10 to March 7 and the results will be out on March 10.
Taking a dig at former union minister RPN Singh for quitting the party, Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Ajay Kumar Lallu on Wednesday said only those willing to fight for the people will stay in the "new Congress".
"He is a raja-maharaja'. He did not like a poor man like me being the state president of the Congress and perhaps this is the reason why he quit the party," Lallu told reporters here.
"This is the new Congress wherein only those who struggle will survive. Thousands of workers gathered with Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to fight for relief from issues pertaining to the common people of Uttar Pradesh. They faced sticks, went to jail and faced trial. I, too, was jailed several times. But, RPN Singh was never even seen in protests," Lallu said.
Quelling rumours on his exit from the party, Lallu said, "Every drop of my blood is indebted to the Congress party. I will remain a soldier of Rahul Gandhi till my last breath."
Recalling an incident from 2013 to target Singh, Lallu said the police had brutally beaten up a Congress worker.
When he protested against the police action, Singh pressured him to stay mum, but he said he did not.
Continuing his tirade against Singh, Lallu said when he was detained by the police for staging a protest in support of sugarcane farmers, Singh neither visited him in jail nor opposed his detention.
Former union minister of state for home, Singh left the Congress and joined the BJP on Tuesday, just a day after he featured in the Congress list of 30 star campaigners for the first phase of elections in Uttar Pradesh.
(With PTI Inputs)