Despite Jaiswal, groupism haunts UP Cong

LUCKNOW, SEPT 24: The change of guard in the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee UPCC has failed to bring any respite from the prevailing f...

LUCKNOW, SEPT 24: The change of guard in the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee UPCC has failed to bring any respite from the prevailing factionalism, if the clash between leaders during a recent function to traditionally welcome the new party chief is any indication.

Moods flared up during Saturday8217;s function at the party headquarters to welcome Sri Prakash Jaiswal. In his address, Cong MLA and Jitendra Prasada loyalist, Surendra Awasthi alias Puttu, alleged that Narain Dutt Tiwari, who was present on the dais, was responsible for the sorry state of the party. This provoked Tiwari8217;s supporters who reportedly manhandled Puttu in the presence of a galaxy of central and state Congress leaders.

This, however, did not perturb Jaiswal. He accepted that groupism was prevailing, but added that 8220;compared to other political parties, we have lesser factionalism8221;.

And this afternoon, at his maiden press meeting after becoming the president of the state Congress, Jaiswal said that such differences would be resolved with serious efforts, and the party would soon emerge as a strong and unified force.

8220;Remarks of a party legislator during the welcome function on Saturday night were more of amusement to me than a serious pointer to thestate of affairs in the party,8221; Jaiswal said.

Party leaders too tried to shift focus from what they termed the 8220;shameful behaviour of the legislator8221;. Congress MP from Meerut, Avtar Singh Bhadala, said: 8220;Congress is a large party and everyone has the right to express his feelings. This is a part of the prevailing internal democracy.8221;

Jaiswal is confident of winning the hearts of the disgruntled partymen and present a unified picture so that the 8220;party can restore its pristine political glory8221;. During his visit to Lucknow on Saturday, he told partymen: 8220;People are now fed up with communal and casteist politics and are looking for a viable alternative which only the Congress can give. For one year the partymen should forget about the past and power and work for betterment of the Congress.8221;

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He also sought to clear the air on the speculation that he was only a stopgap arrangement till the completion of the party8217;s organisational polls. 8220;I have been entrusted by Soniaji with the responsibility of improvingthe party8217;s prospects in the state. And I will like to make it clear thatAssembly elections in the state will be held under my leadership,8221; he said.

Asked if his predecessor, Salman Khursheed, was removed due to his incompetence in providing an able leadership to the party, Jaiswal said: 8220;There is no questioning the competence of Salman who is a active party leader. The party leadership brings new faces in two or three years which sends a healthy message,8221; he added.