Calcutta Getting Ready For Plenary Session

The eightieth plenary session of Congress to be held in Calcutta from August 8 to 10 will be the first such session to be held at the time when the party is out of power both in the host state and at the Centre.

However, as chairman of the reception committe and state Congress president Somen Mitra has clarified, this may not prove to be a serious handicap with the Left Front government has extended all co-operation to make the session a success.

Mitra feels that the holding of the session in Calcutta is a matter of honour for the state as a whole and it is, therefore, only natural that the state government will extend necessary support.

 

Explaining why Bengal's claim to hold the session was accepted from among

several other claimants, Mitra said, 'We believe that this session will rejuvenate Congress and this will help us fight the panchayat polls early next year. This is the political gift that we expect by organising the plenary in Calcutta.'

Mitra, of course, badly needs the help of the state government to make the jumborie a success with the state unit of the party vertically split. The party's most popular leader in the state, Mamata Banerjee, is not part of the official organising machinery. She is bent on demonstrating her strength on August 9 by organising a number of processions all over the city and finally holding a large rally at a place not far from the venue of the plenary at the airconditioned Netaji Indoor Stadium.

While most of the state party leaders have sided with Mitra, Mamata claims to have caught the imagination of the 'grassroot Congress workers' who are expected to flock to the city on August 9 at Mamata's call.

Political observers have wondered how the Left Front government will be keen to make the Plenary a success if it is actually meant to boost the Congress morale for a fight in the Panchayat polls.

The Mamata camp has often accused the official party organisation in the state of being secretly in league with the CPM to extract personal favours. The efforts to patch up the internal bickerings of the state party have almost failed. Mamata's Delhi trip early this week failed to sooth nerves. She had boycotted the organisational polls in protest against various electoral malpractices.

Senior leaders in Delhi have said that they are unable to understand what Mamata exactly wants at this stage to come to a compromise. Mamata says, she wants proper honour for the grassroot Congress workers.

Mamata will, therefore, remain outdoor while the AICC session will be held in the indoor on August 9. Mitra expects 15,000 party representatives to attend the Plenary while 60 foreign delegates from friendly parties have promised to come.

Being out of power both at Delhi and Calcutta may have made the task of fund-raising a bit difficult. Mitra promises 'sincere though not lavish hospitality' for the delegates.

His budget is under Rs 60 lakh.

The customary open session will not be held on behalf of the party during the plenary as mosoon rains may wash off a public meeting. Instead, plans are being made to organise a rally at the Brigade Parade ground sometime in late September which will be addressed by party chief Sitaram Kesri.

The plenary could not be delayed as the party constitution requires formation of the new working committee within 60 days of completion of the organisational elections. So, the committee will have to be formed by August 9.

Mitra promises fireworks at the plenary against the Left Front misrule in the state for the last 20 years. And yet, he expects the same LF government to help him make the plenary a grand success.