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Brahmin-Dalit combine takes charge of Rajasthan Congress

JAIPUR: The All-India Congress Committee has seemingly worked out an effective Brahmin-Dalit combination in Rajasthan in the appointment of C.P. Joshi and Parasram Mordia as president and working president, respectively, of the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC). Dr. Joshi, former Minister and MLA from the temple town of Nathdwara in Rajsamand district, replaces B.D. Kalla while the working president is a newly created post.

Rajasthan, which is scheduled to go to the polls in 2008, has a major share in the changes effected in the party organisation by the AICC on Monday. Two of the party leaders—Harendra Mirdha and Bhanwar Jitendra Singh -- have been chosen as national secretaries while a former MLA from the State, Mohan Prakash, has been made one of the party spokespersons and member of the Publicity and Publication Committee. Along with Sanjay Bafna, the State now has three AICC secretaries.

The young MP from Dausa, Sachin Pilot, has found a place in the elite “Group to look into future challenges”. Most of the chosen ones this time are young leaders. Both Mr. Bafna and Mr. Bhanwar Jitendra are in their thirties.

The AICC appointments, however, keep out Ashok Gehlot, former Chief Minister and the tallest leader the party has in Rajasthan, from the helm of affairs here. Mr. Gehlot continues to be a party general secretary, now in charge of Delhi and Seva Dal affairs, while one of his assignments—the charge of UP—has been handed over to former r Digvijay Singh.

Until now there had been considerable speculation over Mr. Gehlot’s return to Rajasthan politics even as the lobbies which opposed him in the past reportedly camped in Delhi for the past many months to make sure that he is not sent back.

However, it is obvious that things have been worked out to the satisfaction of Mr. Gehlot, as Dr. Joshi and Mr. Mordia, Ministers in the previous Gehlot Government, are his close associates.

“I will try to live up to the expectations of the party president Madam Soniaji. I will take the blessings of my seniors in the party here and start work to oust the BJP in the next elections,” said Dr. Joshi talking to The Hindu. The Congress leadership has taken care of the caste factor by replacing one Brahmin with the other as PCC chief and by nominating a Dalit as working president and appointing one secretary each from Rajput and Jat communities.

Bhanwar Jitendra is a scion of the Alwar royal family and his selection is also significant in the context of senior leader Natwar Singh leaving the party not long ago and his son Jagat Singh, an MLA, remaining critical of the Congress leadership.

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