NEW DELHI: Nearly a month after Mallikarjuna Kharge took over as the Congress president, it appears that the central leadership is unable to hold its sway over state units. Difference of opinion has emerged between the Central leadership of the Congress and state units on important issues such as tussle involving Governors, the Supreme Court verdict on providing 10 per cent reservation for the Economically Weaker Sections, and combating communal politics. But the Congress top leadership maintains that PCCs adopt decisions depending on politics in those states.
The Congress in Kerala has taken a favourable stand towards Governor Arif Mohmmad Khan who is in conflict with the CPI (M)-led government on issues regarding Vice-Chancellor appointments in state universities. Senior Congress leaders in the state have come out in opposition to the government’s decision to bring an ordinance to remove the Governor from the post of Chancellor of universities.
At the same time, in Tamil Nadu, the Congress, an ally of the ruling DMK government, has rallied behind the government to submit a memorandum to the President to remove the Governor from the post. Senior leader P Chidambaram has also supported the move. Earlier, Ashok Gehlot-led government in Rajasthan also brought a legislation curtailing Governor’s power in the universities.
Speaking to this newspaper, AICC Kerala in-charge Tariq Anwar said, “PCCs, state units, have to take their own decisions in accordance with state politics.” According to CPM leaders, Kharge had discussed the tussle between opposition-ruled states and Governors with CPI (M) leader Sitaram Yechury and extended solidarity.
However, Anwar said that he hasn’t seen any statement from the top leadership in this regard. “I haven’t seen any statement of the central leadership in favour of Kerala Chief Minister,” he said. One senior leader, requesting anonymity, said that though the party got a full-time president after a long gap, the state units are yet to see any intervention from the top to build a cohesive team. Recently, KPCC president K Sudhakaran’s remarks that he had shielded RSS shakhas from the attack of CPM workers had raised the hackles of many.