NAGPUR, FEB 28: A section of Vidarbha Congress leadership sore with Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh for ``giving a raw deal to the region'' during the formation of the Democratic Front ministry last October, has again ganged up against him on the grounds that he has ignored the organisational set-up, particularly in Vidarbha. Political observers here feel that the development might gather steam and turn into a vociferous demand for change of guard.According to available information, disgruntled partymen have already apprised the Central leadership about the ``sorry state of affairs in the State unit under the stewardship of Deshmukh''.They pointed out that at a time when the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) was holding meetings and conventions in different areas to streamline and strengthen itself, the Congress had become somnolent and was frittering away the advantage of being the ruling party. This would lead to the NCP gaining the upper hand gradually, they argue.It was being openly alleged that Deshmukh had totally surrendered to Maratha strongman Sharad Pawar, and the State ``is being run as per Pawar's diktats''.Talking to The Indian Express, a senior party leader from the region said they had also apprised the Central bosses about the recent debacle the party suffered in its traditional bastion of Colaba in Mumbai.According to them, Deshmukh and Mumbai unit chief Murli Deora had made it their prestige point to deny a ticket to Dinaz Patrawala, widow of late Marzaban Patrawala, who represented the constituency thrice as a Congress nominee, and instead nominated Annie Shekhar, a Deora loyalist.This had angered party loyalists, and Dinaz, along with others, walked out of the organisation only to be received with open arms by the Shiv Sena which sensed an opportunity to make inroads into a Congress stronghold. Patrawala humbled Annie Shekhar by a large margin.This failure coming as it does in the very first bypoll held after the DF took over reins in October was a bad indicator and unless the party pulled itself up, more such debacles are in the offing, feel partymen.A delegation of Vidarbha Congressmen, it is learnt, would again meet the party high command on March 6 and apprise them about the present situation. Demands for a change in leadership are also likely to come up then. An appointment has also been sought in this regard with party supremo Sonia Gandhi."The continuation of Deshmukh as Chief Minister would be disastrous for the Congress. This will only benefit the NCP,'' feel some Congressmen, and they are likely to press for his removal in the ``interest of the party''.Meanwhile, senior party leader and Minister for Agriculture and Textiles Ranjit Deshmukh reacted sharply over the results of Colaba. Talking to The Indian Express, Ranjit, who is a known bete noire of Deshmukh, described the Colaba results as very unfortunate. "It should be a wake-up call for the Congress in the State. We need to seriously introspect on what is going wrong with the party and the government," he said. According to him, the party which is in power for more than three months in the State, miserably failed to assert itself."The total picture which is emerging now is that we are playing second fiddle to NCP. Another alarming aspect that has to be taken care of is whether we have failed to contain the communal forces which was eliminated at the last hustings," he contempleted.
