Congress leaders take war against Alva, Rau to Delhi

NEW DELHI: A Group of Maharashtra Congress leaders started a campaign for the removal of AICC general secretary in charge of the state, Margaret Alva and PCC president, Prabha Rau, blaming the duo of mishandling the recent Rajya Sabha polls, in which the NCP got Rahul Bajaj to defeat the Congress nominee.

They also accused the two leaders of mishandling the state party affairs by encouraging factional upmanship against chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh and other “traditional Congress leaders”.

These Maharashtra leaders, comprising groups from Mumbai and Konkan belts, including some women leaders, met senior party leaders in Delhi and levelled serious charges of organisational mishandling and questionable ticket distribution practices against the Alva-Rau duo. They also met some senior AICC leaders and Union ministers over the issue.

There are indications that these party leaders are close to the chief minister and some other senior Maharashtra leaders, who have of late been sidelined by the Alva-Rau axis, who show a clear preference for neo-Congressmen like former Shiv Sena leaders Narayan Rane and Sanjay Nirupam.

In fact, the political misadventure that resulted in the Congress undercutting the NCP in the last Vidhan Sabha council elections and then getting it back from the alliance partner in the Rajya Sabha polls, was allegedly planned and executed by the Alva-Rau combination with the backing and guidance of Mr Rane.

A senior Union minister has been given a written complaint by a state woman leader, accusing Ms Alva of refuting commitment to field certain candidates in the election under ‘questionable circumstances’. There are indications that their written representations are on the way to 10 Janpath.

The timing of their campaign is significant as it coincides with moves to undertake a mini-restructuring of the AICC secretariat and Ms Alva, who has an unimpressive track record both in Maharashtra and West Bengal, is seen as one of the shaky general secretaries.

On the other hand it also coincides with the renewal of the campaign to replace Ms Rau with Mr Mukul Wasnik. Perhaps seeing the writing on the wall, both Ms Alva and Ms Rau have been lobbying for a berth in the Rajya Sabha or a posting in the Raj Bahvans much to the chagrin of many.