The Hindu : New Delhi News : Congress infighting set to intensify in Delhi

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, May 24, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

Congress infighting set to intensify in Delhi

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, MAY 23. While the Congress is in a jubilant mood following the installation of its Government at the Centre, a crisis of sorts has gripped the Delhi Congress with indications of infighting within the party intensifying in the coming days. The defiance of the party whip by the Congress Councillors and the resultant fallout has complicated matters no end.

Interestingly, the total defiance of the directive of the Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee president, Chaudhary Prem Singh, by a section of the Councillors has seriously undermined his authority forcing him to expel three Councillors and issue notices to two others. However, this has also widened the rift within the party and highlighted the mess that prevails in the Congress-ruled Municipal Corporation of Delhi. The manner in which the Councillors and some other leaders conducted themselves during the recent elections has tarnished the image of the party. "It is in the interest of the party that the MCD is broken up into smaller bodies before it turns into an embarrassment for the party and the Delhi Government in the next few years. The conduct of the Councillors is not at all reassuring and they are not interested in development but only manipulative politics,'' a senior party leader remarked.

However, what has been the most serious aspect of the whole situation is the complete defiance of the DPCC directive by the MCD Councillors and its leaders there. In fact, it is learnt that Mr. Prem Singh has been a major loser as he was not able to get his people including Tarseem Bansal, Memwati Barwala, Ratan Singh Panwar and even Rohit Manchanda accommodated despite having got a favourable nod from the party leadership. Mr. Prem Singh locked horns directly with the Outer Delhi Member of Parliament, Sajjan Kumar, during the recent elections to fill up posts in the MCD. A majority of the Councillors expelled or issued show cause notice were loyal to Mr. Kumar and the exercise is being seen as an attempt by Mr. Prem Singh to assert his authority and show the Jat leader who is the boss. The DPCC president has been upset that despite a clear directive by the party and its leadership, a section of Councillors led by the Leader of the House, Satbir Singh, did not allow the official candidates to either file their nominations or inform them about the decision of the party to field them.

The fallout of this intra-party struggle was reflected on Friday when a majority of the leaders preferred to pay homage to the former Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi, on his death anniversary at Veer Bhoomi rather than at the function organised at the DPCC office.

The Delhi Sadar Member of Parliament, Jagdish Tytler, was the only prominent person along with party MLA, Tajdar Babar, to turn up on the occasion. It is learnt that Mr. Prem Singh has taken the matter seriously and is understood to have written to the party high command pointing out the absence of these leaders from the function organised at the local party office. In fact, many within the party are of the view that the coming days could witness an intense power struggle in the Delhi Congress.

It is understood that Mr.Prem Singh has his eyes on the post of the Delhi Assembly Speaker, a position he held till last July. However, he is likely to face strong opposition from the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) group as a number of other aspirants have also joined the race.

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