The Hindu : New Delhi News : “Haryana Congress leaders hijacked thanksgiving rally”

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Wednesday, Mar 12, 2008
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“Haryana Congress leaders hijacked thanksgiving rally”

Gaurav Vivek Bhatnagar

Delhi leaders resent “cold-shouldering” of DPCC chief

Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee president J.P. Agarwal

NEW DELHI: The issue of Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee president J. P. Agarwal not being allowed to address the “Thanksgiving Felicitation Rally” of the Congress at the Ramlila Grounds here on Sunday and the show being virtually hijacked by leaders from Haryana figured prominently at a meeting of DPCC general secretaries and vice-presidents here on Tuesday.

Several party leaders expressed concern at the manner in which Mr. Agarwal was “deliberately” denied an opportunity to address the prestigious rally from where Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi had spelt out the “historic” concessions and schemes initiated for the farmers and the poor through the Union Budget.

“While the State unit presidents of all the Northern States were allowed an opportunity to address the gathering, Mr. Agarwal, who was the host, was somehow denied an opportunity,” said a party leader, adding that this had sent out a mixed signal to the workers.

“Some believe it was the handiwork of one of his rival MPs in the party, who is also an AICC member, while others believe there is more to the issue than meets the eye,” the leader added.

The issue also assumes significance since many DPCC leaders feel leaders from Haryana almost hijacked the rally.

They said while about a thousand colourful pugri (turban)-clad people from Haryana had occupied the front seats at the rally, relegating the DPCC office-bearers to the rear rows, the hoardings at the venue also mostly depicted Haryana leaders.

Second time

Another DPCC leader said this was the second time since the presentation of the Union Budget that such an incident had occurred: “Soon after the presentation of the Union Budget, farmers from Haryana had descended at 10 Janpath and almost pushed the DPCC office-bearers who had gone there on a prior appointment to a side while felicitating Dr. Manmohan Singh and Ms. Sonia Gandhi for the relief provided to the farmers.”

There was one positive aspect to the DPCC meeting as well. Many of the general secretaries and vice-presidents were happy that it provided them an opportunity to meet Mr. Agarwal directly without being surrounded by a large number of other party workers who used to crowd such meetings earlier.

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