Khursheed runs into problems with UPCC

LUCKNOW, NOV 3: A section of Congress leaders and newly-elected MPs in Uttar Pradesh are lobbying for the ouster of UPCC chief Salman Khu...

LUCKNOW, NOV 3: A section of Congress leaders and newly-elected MPs in Uttar Pradesh are lobbying for the ouster of UPCC chief Salman Khursheed. Although the state8217;s tally of MPs has gone up to 10 from nil since the 1998 polls, partymen are holding Khursheed responsible for the state unit not doing too well and want him out of his post.

Khursheed had recently effected an overhaul of the UPCC and removed many of his detractors from key positions. This was apparently done to clip their wings. This move seems to have backfired, resulting in the anti-Salman sentiments in the state unit.

Khursheed8217;s detractors met here recently at a function to felicitate the newly-elected MPs and expressed the need for change. 8220;We want a Muslim leader not for name8217;s sake but also for delivering results,8221; a state leader said at the function. The participants, including Lok Sabha MPs Jitendra Prasada former UPCC chief, Begum Noor Bano and Syed Jama, Rajya Sabha members Akhilesh Das and Gufran Zaidi besides state leadersAmmar Rizvi, Pramod Tiwari, Jagdambika Pal and Ram Autar Dixit, adopted a resolution demanding a probe into the party8217;s debacle at the hustings. It seemed to be more of a function to vent anti-Khursheed sentiments than honour the new MPs.

8220;We won because of the support of the people, and the party organisation had no role in the victory of the Congress MPs. We could not come out with an alternative, which led to the unsatisfactory performance,8221; party MP from Shahjanpur Jitendra Prasada said.

It was senior leader Captain Satish Sharma who first expressed anti-Khursheed sentiments while speaking to newspersons on Friday. Sharma had said weak state organisation was the sole reason for the party8217;s poor performance. 8220;We won 10 seats but could have won many more had the party organisation been strong,8221; he had said. At the felicitation function, several of Khursheed8217;s opponents charged that groupism and bribery had a role to play in ticket distribution for the Lok Sabha elections. Another factor they blamedfor the defeat was weak party leadership.

8220;Where are the sycophants who claimed that UP will do miracles for the Congress in the elections? Those who have won could make it on the basis of their own clout and not because of the organisation,8221; said Ammar Rizvi.