Congress Internal Rift Widens

The divide between Congress President Sitaram Kesri and Vice-president Jitendra Prasada was reflected in the partys UP unit yesterday, even as party leaders calculated the possibility of the rift leading to a split in the UP Congress Legislature Party.

Congress leaders of Uttar Pradesh including former Union Minister Salman Khursheed, MPs Ratna Singh and Satish Sharma yesterday met at Sharmas residence before asking Kesri to nominate a new UPCC chief without any delay.

Prasada claims he continues as UPCC chief until a new one is named. Prasada has drifted away from Kesri ever since he tampered with the official panel floated by the party president during the election of the Congress Working Committee at the party plenary at Calcutta last month.

Three MLCs and an MLA from UP were also present at the meeting at Sharmas residence yesterday.

The talks have a bearing on the tension between the BJP and the BSP over a transfer of power from the latter to the former. A number of Congress MLAs could defect to the BJP if their demands are not met.

There is a general feeling among the Congress MLAs that Kesris calculation that the regret expressed by the party over the demolition of the Babri mosque would bring back Muslim voters into the Congress fold, would not work. They also do not have much hope of Mulayam Singh openly aligning with the Congress in the State for the fear of losing support of Muslims.

The MLAs, especially those belonging to the upper castes, are not much excited about an alliance with the BSP as they want to avoid the the anti-establishment sentiment that might work against the BSP.

In this context, a Congress spokesman yesterday attacked the BJP as party which can go to any extent to capture power in Uttar Pradesh. He, however, deliberately avoided criticising the BSP. The Congress could consider reviving its alliance with the BSP if its current alliance with the BJP falls through.

When asked whtther this could happen, the spokesperson said that at present the Congress was not thinking about any alliances but only about strengthening itself.