NEW DELHI: As the Congress leadership is firefighting in Punjab, trouble is brewing for the party in the majority of the states going to polls in 2022. The high command is having a tough task in hand to contain infighting and dissent in state units where the party stands a chance of coming to power. Seven states are scheduled to elect new assemblies next year — Goa, Manipur, Uttarakhand, Punjab, UP, Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh.
After a series of meetings with Punjab CM Amarinder Singh and other state leaders and MLAs, the party is expected to announce organisational changes in the state unit early next month with a hope to end factionalism. However, it is yet to take up issues concerning other poll-bound states. If not addressed on priority basis, the party may end up meeting similar fate as seen in the recent Kerala elections, where the Left won a record second term. The Congress also fared poorly in Assam and West Bengal.
Uttarakhand: The state has never voted for an incumbent government since its formation in 2000. The factionalism-ridden Uttarakhand unit is expected to see organisational changes with former CM Harish Rawat pitching to be named CM candidate, though he has denied this. He has also asked the party high command to free him from organisational duties as AICC in-charge for Punjab so that he can focus on Uttarakhand. The party is expected to soon announce the name of new leader of opposition following the demise of Indira Hridayesh.
With the state unit also slated to get a new chief, lobbying is going on for the post.Uttar Pradesh: The Congress is not a major player in UP though it is working to strengthen the state unit under the leadership of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. State leaders have been at loggerheads, with many of them accusing party chief Ajay Kumar Lallu of sidelining them. Jitin Prasada’s switch to the BJP eight months before elections came as a jolt to the party. There are reports of more state leaders leaving before the elections.
Goa: Congress Lok Sabha MP Farncis Sardinha has gone on record to attack state chief Girish Chodankar after the party’s women wing chief Pratima Coutinho joined the AAP citing weak leadership and infighting. Sardinha said the party needs to change the Goa Congress chief ahead of elections to boost its chances.
The state unit has been ailing for long and the party leadership has failed to address the issues. In 2019, 10 of 19 Congress MLAs led by leader of opposition Chandrakant Kavlekar joined the BJP. Gujarat: In this key state, the Congress gave a tough fight to the BJP in 2017 and but later several party MLAs switched sides. Dealing with factionalism, the party is yet to appoint state chief though elections are scheduled in February- March 2022. The appointment of AICC in-charge is also pending.
The post fell vacant following the demise of Rajiv Satav. According to reports, Patidar leader Hardik Patel, who was appointed as working president, is also unhappy and is in talks with the AAP. Many state leaders feel Late Ahmed Patel’s political acumen will be missed.Himachal Pradesh: The tallest Congress leader and six-time CM Virbhadra Singh is ailing while the party is unable to contain factionalism. Party leaders agree there is a need to put up a united front.