Before the reforms,Congs Bihar unit faces a rebellion

Amidst jubilation and chest-thumping in the Congress camp for ensuring the rout of Lalu Prasad Yadavs RJD...

Amidst jubilation and chest-thumping in the Congress camp for ensuring the rout of Lalu Prasad Yadavs RJD and Ram Vilas Paswans LJP in the last Lok Sabha elections in Bihar,the party is witnessing a bitter internecine feud in its state unit even before Rahul Gandhi could embark on his ambitious plan to replicate the Uttar Pradesh model to revive the party there.

A host of state leaders are camping in New Delhi to seek an appointment with Congress president Sonia Gandhi to complain against the functioning of PCC chief Anil Sharma and demand his removal. Sharma,however,is learnt to have the backing of Sonia Gandhis close aide V George. Those seeking a change of leadership include Congress Legislature Party leader Ashok Ram,MLA Avadhesh Singh,and MLC Mahachandra Prasad,said sources.

Meanwhile,the Congress plan to revive the party in the state remains on paper. About six months after sacking Bihar Youth Congress chief Chandan Yadav,within five days after his appointment,Rahul Gandhi has not been able to find a replacement. While the party leadership is preparing a blueprint of its programmes and strategy in the Assembly election in UP three years on,Bihar does not appear to be on its agenda as yet.

Though Lalu and Paswan have regretted their decision not to have an alliance with the Congress,Anil Sharmas detractors argue that the Congress did no better in the state. In the 2004 Lok Sabha election,the Congress had secured over 13 lakh votes in the four constituencies that it had contested. In 2009,the partys tally in these four constituencies was reduced to 4.32 lakh votes.

As against 2004,the Congress contested on 37 Lok Sabha seats in 2009,but it secured less than 25 lakh votes in all these constituencies. Its candidates lost deposits on 30 out of these 37 seats.

Many Congress leaders,including former minister Veena Sahi,who joined the JDU recently,have alleged that money played a role in ticket distribution,pointing fingers at the state leadership. Denying these allegations,the PCC chief was reported to have said that he would quit politics if they were proved. Iqbal Singh,AICC in-charge of Bihar,is also under attack for his support to Sharma.

Sharmas detractors allege that he was instrumental in giving tickets to outsiders. Out of 37 candidates who contested on party ticket in Bihar,22 were those who came from outside. As many as 14 of them did not even join the party, said a senior party leader.

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During campaigning,Sharma,who has never contested even a panchayat election,turned himself into a star campaigner making exclusive use of the helicopter provided by the party,addressing gatherings of 25-50 people all over the state. He and Iqbal Singh even managed to stall the Jagannath Mishra return, said a former PCC chief.