Post-poll split unlikely: Kesri

NEW DELHI, June 8: Congress party chief Sitaram Kesri today ruled out the possibility of any split in the Congress after the organisational...

NEW DELHI, June 8: Congress party chief Sitaram Kesri today ruled out the possibility of any split in the Congress after the organisational polls and said he did not visualise any clash of power with Sharad Pawar in the post-poll scenario.

The organisational elections will certainly give strength to the party8230;the question of a split does not arise,8221; he told reporters on the eve of the party presidential poll in which he is being challenged by Pawar and Rajesh Pilot.

How could there be such a thing between the leader and one nominated by him, he asked. Pawar was nominated party leader in the Lok Sabha by Kesri after his election as Congress Parliamentary Party CPP leader.

Asked whether he would remove Pawar and deputy leader of the Lok Sabha G Venkatswamy from their parliamentary party posts after the election, he said, 8220;It is not proper to ask such a question in the midst of an election.8221;

To a query on whether the party functioning would be smooth if the two continued at their posts after the election, he said, 8220;Ask them.8221; Replying to another query, he said he did not attach much importance to what his rivals and their supporters had said against him during the campaigning.Kesri dismissed Pilot8217;s charge that he had hijacked8217; the Congress Working Committee CWC8217;s powers in the appointment of Pradesh Returning Officers and that there were gross irregularities in the polls.

Meanwhile, Kesri loyalists today mounted a fresh offensive on the eve of the party presidential poll against Pawar demanding his resignation from the leadership of the Congress Party in the Lok Sabha. CPP secretary Mrutyunjay Nayak demanded the resignation saying Pawar no longer enjoyed the confidence of Sitaram Kesri.

Nayak alleged that Pawar had joined hands with former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda to marginalise the Congress party.

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Nayak claimed that his feelings were being shared by party leaders and MPs including Suresh Pachauri, Raju Burman, Pratap Reddy, Mulchand Meena, Sudhir Sawant, Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Iqbal Singh.