Congress talks Kamraj Plan, for relations with SP

There is a great deal of murmuring in the Congress to revive Kamraj Plan to restructure the party in view of recent debacles in assembly and municipal polls across states.

The Congress is also in a mood to revive relations with Mulayam Singh led Samajwadi Party (SP). The party's decision not to field candidate against SP nominee and UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav's wife Dimple Yadav in Kannauj Lok Sabha bypoll is being seen as a move to get closer to the SP.

At the same time, the party's decision to replace Uttar Pradesh Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Pramod Tiwari with Allahabad MLA Anugraha Narayan Singh is a step in the direction to curb factionalism in the state unit.

According to Congress sources, the party may decide to stay away from local bodies polls in UP keeping in view the recent political upheaval in the Congress and the government, including the losses in Bengal Municipal polls.

This time indication from the Congress high command is clear that groupism and factionalism will not be tolerated and that Sonia Gandhi's authority in the party will be supreme.

Pramod Tiwari removal as CLP leader is seen as a punishment for him for not doing enough during the recently concluded assembly polls in five states.

Meanwhile, the Congress is looking for an alternative arrangement and ally in view of persisting threats from allies over hike in petroleum prices and inflationary pressures.

In this context, the party is trying to get closer to SP- that has 22 MPs in Lok Sabha, in case any of Congress's UPA ally withdraws support from the Manmohan Singh led government.

Currently, UPA is feeling the heat from TMC and DMK- the two allies of the government. The deal between the two parties is being seen as a part of quid pro quo, wherein SP will support Congress at the Centre and in return Congress will not field any candidate against Dimple.

In the last Kannauj bypoll in 2004, film star and Congress's candidate Raj Babbar defeated Dimple Yadav.

Akhilesh Yadav had contested from two seats -Firozabad and Kannauj- in 2004 Lok Sabha polls and won both the seats. Later the Akhilesh resigned from Firozabad, but retained Kannauj.