Congress President Rahul Gandhi is not new to making farces. His attempts to boost his image as a ‘youth leader’, ‘mass leader’ and a ‘national icon’, failed miserably ever since his emergence on the national scene. Let alone attracting new voters towards the Congress party, he has often acted as a repellent for the existing voters. His ‘talent’ and approach towards making a ‘youth’ brigade of Congress has led to the pitiful state where veteran Congress leaders have quit the party. They have either chose the polar opposite, the Bharatiya Janata Party or became independent, rather than continuing with Rahul Gandhi’s misdirection. Rahul has succeeded in pushing out able leaders from Congress cadres with an unmatched success rate and this streak continues in Madhya Pradesh as well. Rahul Gandhi was supposed to address a public rally on the first death anniversary of the six farmers who were killed in police firing in Mandsaur district of Madhya Pradesh on 6th june. A couple of weeks prior to Rahul Gandhi’s visit cracks have begun showing in the ranks of MP Congress with top leaders from Western MP tendering their resignation.
Mandsaur district party Vice-President Mahendra Singh Gurjar, district women Congress head Babita Singh Tomar, the party legislator from Suvasara seat Hardeep Singh Dang are few prominent names who have submitted their resignation. These leaders are demanding the inclusion of ex-Lok Sabha member Meenakshi Natarajan in the party’s decision making process. These leaders are annoyed with the Rahul Gandhi led central party leadership for nominating former rebel Rajendra Singh Gautam as a member of the Digvijaya Singh led MP State Congress Coordination Committee. Rajendra Singh gautam was expelled from the party in 2009 for six years after being accused of indulging in anti-party activities. Rajendra Singh Gautam had also contested the 2009 elections against Congress candidate Meenakshi Natarajan as an independent candidate. The decision of Rahul Gandhi to supersede Rajendra over trusted Natarajan is hard to understand. The inclusion of Rajendra Singh Gautam has infuriated these leaders who are demanding Meenakshi Natarajan to be made a part of the Digvijaya Singh led committee.
The demands of the resigning faction seem genuine as they cannot put their trust in a leader who has betrayed them in the past. Rahul Gandhi’s decision to appoint the once rebel candidate is being scrutinized by his own party leaders. Rajendra Singh Gautam in fact has rejoined Congress only in 2017 while Meenakshi Natarajan has stayed loyal to the party ever since. The Congress central leadership has taken many stupid decisions in the past as well .He seems conceited and disillusioned, Madhya Pradesh might be the latest example but then in every state wherever the Congress has forced a decision on the state leadership it has faced criticism from their own party leaders. MP Congress will face difficulties in bringing back their disgruntled leaders who are known faces at the ground level. The outbreak of these factions in Madhya Pradesh will lead to a crisis in the upcoming state elections, which will possibly be held in 2018. A time also might come when district and state level Congress leaders might begin protesting against the visit of Rahul Gandhi, fearing a crisis. Leaders from MP and other states which are going to face elections should try and make Rahul Gandhi understand the toll his decisions take on the grassroot workers and leaders. It would be pitiable for the Congress to lose its leaders at such a rate before the 2019 elections, which could prove to be Congress’s only hope of surviving on the national level.