Cong tries to placate Sarma, Rane, says party is 'like mother'

Congress today sought to mollify rebel members in states like Assam and Maharashtra saying that the party is like a mother without whom the children feel orphaned.
At the same time, the party chastised leaders for "political opportunism" even as it comes to grips with rebellion within its ranks in the two Congress-ruled states of Assam and Maharashtra where one senior minister each resigned from office yesterday.
"Personal ambition for high offices and... Political opportunism make an individual behave negatively.
"However, the party is far above any individual. Party is like mother. Any child who does not have mother is an orphan. However delinquent a child may be, he finds security, solace and progress in the embrace of the mother," said Congress spokesperson Randip Surjewala.

Senior party leaders and Congress ministers Himanta Biswa Sarma and Narayan Rane quit their posts, respectively, in Assam and Maharashtra.
While Rane has slammed Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan for "slackness" in decision-making, Sarma expressed lack of confidence in Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi.

Surjewala said that the party does recognise that people can have aspirations, but added that "no aspiration is bigger than that of the cumulative interest of the organisation".
He said that Sarma is "grounded in grassroots" and has toiled for the party for years together, "which will never take him to a path different from Indian National Congress".

Sarma is a "loyal soldier" and "very dear" to Congress and whatever the issues, they would be resolved by the party, Surjewala said.
He also hailed Rane as a "senior leader" but said he was unaware about any commitment made to him that he would be made the chief minister some time before the Assembly polls.
"I have not said it," he responded when asked whether Rane was a "liar" as he has mentioned such a commitment to him by AICC.