Old habits die hard in Cong

| NOVEMBER 22, 2020, 11:06 PM IST

The Congress went into celebratory mode on Saturday when thefather-son duo of Joaquim Alemao and Yuri joined the grand old party with greatpomp and amid beats of the brass band at the party's South district office. Theold brigade was noticeably jubilant. Joaquim's re-induction into the partysends out clear signals that the party may not be averse in considering thosewho are ready for a return.

A couple of days earlier party spokesman and minority cellchairman Urfan Mulla resigned from the party citing lack of unity among seniorleaders. In an open letter to Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhiwho are on a private visit to Goa, Mulla said that the party lacks direction, ideologyand leadership. Given the situation where the GPCC leadership remainsunresolved, the least the high command could do is take some time off and feelthe pulse of its State unit. It is a pity that the party remains divided andcontinues to wobble on individual charisma of a few. With political leadersacross the spectrum likely to seek realignments in view of the approachingelections, setting a framework and a roadmap should have been a priority forthe national leadership.  

The Gandhis, while promptly giving a green signal to oldwarhorse Joaquim Alemao, has indicated that the Congress is ready to veeraround once again. It may be a celebratory moment for veterans who have wellpassed their retirement and are seeking a return, but what is the message theCongress is sending out?  The GPCC President Girish Chodankar spoke aboutnew and young faces finding a place in the party's 2022 line-up of candidates,but his actions are hollow. If Chodankar is the face of youth in Congress,where are the new faces?

There are no lessons learnt. Lest we forget, when a 10-memberCongress faction split from the party and joined the BJP last year, the StateCongress leadership went to town screaming about betrayal, party rejuvenationand restructuring from the grassroots. Over a year later, the party continuesto struggle and remains directionless. It has not only failed to groom youngleaders from its cadre but is only eying return of defectors, dropouts of otherparties and those on political sanyaas. Against this backdrop, the party has nomoral or political right to call the Aam Aadmi Party a 'B' team of the BJP.

On the other side, this Congress move will give new hope toall those who had ditched the party in the past and strategically switchedallegiances for political gains. A majority of the Congress-turned-BJPlegislators are facing the heat from the people over contentious projects likedouble-tracking, coal expansion, highway expansion, power sub-station, etc.These MLAs could time their jump out of the BJP ship using these issues, andregain the confidence of people once again. Joaquim's induction sets the tonefor a grand Ghar-wapsi for those who had betrayed the mandate of 2017.

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