Congress loyalty parade gets underway as poll countdown begins

Recalling that 8220;thousands of Congress workers8221; had invited Sonia in 1998 to lead the party, the resolution sought to dispel the notion that she was under the influnce of any coterie.

8220;During the past 30 months, she has with single-minded dedication and determination held the party together, encouraged free debate and transparency. Wide-ranging consultation, discussion and debate have distuingished her tenure.8221;

Interestingly, only a handful of CWC members 8212; among them Manmohan Singh, Madhavrao Scindia, Arjun Singh, Natwar Singh, Ahmed Patel and N D Tiwari 8212; met informally to formulate the statement. The approval of the rest was procured over the telephone and they were asked to fax in their signatures.

The need for these gimmicks 8212; yesterday senior CWC member and hardcore loyalist Ambika Soni resigned ostensibly to campaign for Sonia and a move is already afoot to have state PCCs to formally endorse her candidature 8212; has, however, put a question mark on the credibility of the polls. The party president8217;s election is slated for November 12

Some party leaders say this is only making Prasada more of a martyr than ever before 8212; 8220;a partyman leading his fight in splendid isolation.8221;

8220;All these acts will only make her challenger stand out in sharp contrast as a man fighting against all odds and increase sympathy for him,8221; a party leader noted disapprovingly.

Party circles say the 8220;Save Sonia8221; campaign is not so much to ensure her victory 8212; it is in any case assured 8212; but is more an outcome of a 8220;loyalty game8221; among close aides. The 8220;Who is more loyal8221; contest among loyalists is obviously aimed at securing key positions for themselves in the party once the elections are over and a victorious Sonia reconstitutes her team.

In fact, all these stage-managed acts by Sonia aides will only lend credibility to the issues of 8220;inner-party democracy and coterie politics8221; which Prasada has raised.

The 8220;Save Sonia8221; campaign began when the PCC lists were delayed till the last moment to dissuade Prasada from filing his nomination and instructions were sent to partymen all over the country to ignore Prasada.

The Prasada camp fears that the next move would be to delink election of PCC chiefs from that of the party president8217;s 8212; they are scheduled to be held on the same day 8212; to prevent contests among rivals in faction-ridden states as this would be taken as a sign of her eroding authority.

A meeting of all party PROs has been convened by Election Chief Ram Niwas Mirdha next week to take a 8220;final decision8221; on this issue. The postponement of the PCC chiefs8217; elections will enable Sonia to nominate her men to these posts, once she is firmly in the saddle after her near certain victory against Prasada.