Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has been leading the firefight after the defection of six MLAs of her party threatened the survival of Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu’s government in Himachal Pradesh. The six Congress MLAs voted in favour of BJP candidate Harsh Mahajan in the Rajya Sabha election, leading to his victory against the ruling party’s Abhishek Manu Singhvi. The defection of six Congress MLAs and the return of three independents, who are all BJP rebels, into the parent party had brought the strength of the ruling Congress and opposition BJP to 34 each in the 68-member Assembly.
The Congress had to disqualify the six defectors and suspend 15 BJP members to pass the state Budget a day after the Rajya Sabha election. Sources said the entire operation to save the government was handled by Priyanka. She has strongly backed Sukhu and overruled senior party leaders who suggested heeding the wishes of the disgruntled MLAs. She has tried to placate former chief minister Virbhadra Singh’s wife Pratibha Singh, who is the state president of Congress, and son Vikramaditya Singh, who is a Cabinet minister, besides the MLAs demanding the removal of Sukhu. But despite her best efforts, the rebel camp is still insisting on changing the chief minister.
According to sources, the rank of rebel Congress MLAs is swelling by the day and even if the disqualification of six MLAs is not reversed by the court, the government may not be able to have a majority in the Assembly. Sources said the Congress high command may soon be left with two options – Save Sukhu as CM or save its government in Himachal Pradesh.
Battle 2024
Congress wants its big guns to join poll fray
The Congress leadership has asked its top leaders to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha election. Among those who are likely to join the fray are former chief ministers Bhupesh Baghel, Ashok Gehlot, Kamal Nath, Sushil Kumar Shinde or a member of his family, Prithviraj Chavan, Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Digvijay Singh. Among the top AICC leaders who have been asked to fight polls are K C Venugopal, Jitendra Singh, Kumari Selja, Mukul Wasnik, Supriya Srinate, Manik Tagore, etc.
Other prominent leaders who may join the fray are former Union ministers Sachin Pilot, C P Joshi, Kantilal Bhuria and Rajasthan PCC president Govind Singh Dotasra. Sources said at least one member of the Gandhi family is sure to contest the election from Uttar Pradesh. The family will not leave Uttar Pradesh. There is a strong possibility of Rahul Gandhi fighting again from Amethi and Priyanka Gandhi making her maiden entry into the political arena from her family’s traditional seat Rae Bareli, which was recently vacated by her mother Sonia Gandhi who has gone to the Rajya Sabha. Sources said that by asking the party’s big guns to contest the election, the Congress leadership wants to send a message to the people that the party is fighting the election to win. The Congress leadership feels that the momentum created by the formation of the opposition INDIA bloc needs to be maintained by fielding big names in the election.
Shahid Faridi
The writer is Resident Editor, TNIE, New Delhi.
Follow him on X @Shahid_Faridi_