Cong party line 8212; Off with their heads

NEW DELHI, MAY 19: The decks were cleared on Wednesday for the expulsion of the rebel troika of Pawar, Sangma and Anwar by the Congress W...

NEW DELHI, MAY 19: The decks were cleared on Wednesday for the expulsion of the rebel troika of Pawar, Sangma and Anwar by the Congress Working Committee on Thursday with a strongly-worded resolution from the PCC presidents and leaders of the Congress Legislature Parties leaving the party8217;s apex body with little elbow room.

Although moderates in the CWC continued to advocate caution to avoid a split in the party, the dominant mood in the rank and file was hawkish. 8220;If we don8217;t do something tomorrow, we will all be beaten up by the workers,8221; a CWC leader confessed.

The resolution passed by the meeting of the PCC and CLP leaders Wednesday evening may force the CWC8217;s hand. 8220;This meeting requests the CWC to take stern action against those members of the CWC who have indulged in this act of indiscipline by expelling them from the party,8221; it said.

Significantly, the meeting was chaired by Manmohan Singh as leader of the Congress party in the Rajya Sabha. He is considered a moderate but he was obviouslysilenced by the outpouring of anger against the dissidents in the meeting.

The pressure is intense. Today, all frontal organisations of the Congress also joined the chorus for expulsion and their leaders threatened to start an indefinite hunger strike if the CWC did not axe the rebels. The organisations include the Seva Dal, the Mahila Congress, the Youth Congress and the National Students Union of India.

Given this kind of buildup, Thursday8217;s meeting may not even go through the formality of issuing a show-cause notice to the rebels first, a CWC source revealed. The source pointed out that both Pawar and Anwar remain defiant even after the CWC rejected their demand to include in the Congress manifesto a proposal for a constitutional amendment barring persons of foreign origin from holding the posts of President, Vice President and Prime Minister. This was blatant indiscipline and enough grounds for summary expulsion, he said.

Sangma would first be given an opportunity to explain his stand on Thursdaysince he has been out of the country for the past few days. He is expected back tonight and the CWC meeting was scheduled to accommodate him.

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Pawar announced today that he would not attend tomorrow8217;s meeting. Anwar too is expected to stay away. There was no word from Sangma. Asked whether he was anticipating expulsion, Pawar joked: 8220;Let us think positively.8221;

He claimed that many Congress leaders shared his view. 8220;I have been discussing the issue with party leaders for a long period. I know their mind. I will try to persuade them even if they are not coming out in the open at the moment,8221; he said.

Desperate Congressmen are now approaching Priyanka, Rahul and family friends in the hope that they will put in a word on behalf of the party. The senior leadership realises that the ongoing drama outside 10, Janpath cannot continue for very long as it may prove counter-productive.

Although Sonia8217;s resignation has succeeded in galvanising the party cadre which was getting demoralised by the BJP8217;s campaignon the foreigner issue, Congress leaders understand that the party has to move on beyond dramatics and plan seriously for the tough electoral battle ahead.

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Sonia herself has indicated that she wants the tamasha to stop. She had word sent to those on hunger strike and dharna outside her residence on Wednesday that they should all go back home and start canvassing for the Congress instead.

She will make her first public appearance on May 21, Rajiv Gandhi8217;s death anniversary, when she is slated to address the FICCI on issues for the next millennium. Congressmen are hoping that they will get some indication of her future plans then.