Self flagellation

Gujarat has become so synonymous with Narendra Modi that people forget that the Congress once ruled the state 17 years ago. Since then, the story of India's oldest party has been a sordid tale of groupism, internal bickering, lethargy and a patently weak state leadership simply swept aside by the machinations of the BJP.
Many things have happened since 1990 when the Mandal vs Kamandal politics left the Congress virtually marooned: the Narmada waters have started flowing into Sabarmati, the saffronisation of Gujarat is nearly complete and the Congress has morphed into an opposition which any ruling dispensation would love to have as its rival.   

Says a senior journalist, witness to the many ups and downs  of the Congress party: “If such things continue, then the party may not come to power anytime soon. It is not the popularity of Narendra Modi but internal war and gross opportunism which has led to the Congress' decline."

Just how fragmented is the Gujarat Congress? Insiders say indiscipline – despite Modi's looming threat – has reached new levels. It is not news anymore when a state leader – any leader –  with a mass base of 5000 odd people jumps into the election fray, approaches leaders of the ‘high command’ in Delhi with a motley bunch of goons and forks a party ticket out of them!

Says one leader, "Actually, the Gujarat Congress does not have any mouth. It has number of legs like an octopus and it can go in any direction it desires. The so-called leaders of  the Congress ‘high command’ in Delhi have to take an emergency flight, come to Gujarat to talk and convince such mavericks."

The Congress had started well. To avoid the suicidal mistakes committed in the 2007 Assembly elections, preparations had started six months in advance with many believing that if the party moved ahead with pace and determination, even Narendra Modi's enormous individual popularity could be neutralised. To be sure, there was anti-incumbency which could have been capitalised upon in addition to malnutrition, farmer suicides, kidnapping of children, VAT and other economic issues.

Veteran Shankersinh Vaghela, a former chief minister who had showed signs of moving to the NCP, was made chairman of the Coordination Committee of Congress for the assembly elections and things seemed to be on track.

Then came the question of party tickets. The Congress said it would be the first off the block but finally came out with a list of 52 candidates on November 22, a few weeks before the polls amidst much heart burn and backbiting. And this just for the first phase on December 13.

The announcement of names was followed by ransacking of Congress offices and burning of effigies of important party leaders. Not surprisingly, the ones who were left out promptly joined the saffron bandwagon within 24 hours, a U turn of epic proportions.

 Such was the fiasco at the list of names that the Congress had to deploy police force at its Ahmedabad-based party headquarters, the Rajiv Gandhi Bhavan. When dissidents and their supporters angrily entered and wreaked havoc there, leaders were shocked and distressed. Result: the party insured its headquarters for Rs 2.5 crores and 15 bouncers were deployed at the main gate to restore order!

But it was not enough. No sooner was the list of 95 candidates for the second round of voting declared than the party headquarters once again turned into a battle ground. Mangal Soorajkar, a municipal corporator and supporters ransacked the party office. They also manhandled opposition leader in the state Assembly and party stalwart Shaktisinh Gohil. Soorajkar had demanded the Asarwa seat but when former IG Rajan Priyadarshi’s name was announced for the seat,  he decided to take it out on the hapless party office. It worked: he was awarded another seat with Soorajkar pledging support to the Congress, tears in his eyes.

But such things have come to be expected of the Congress. Shankersinh Vaghela in an earlier interview to this magazine had said "When you prepare a list of candidates at the last minute, there is a possibility of revolt. Everybody has a right to demand a ticket election, but it is not proper to express our grievances, make statements before the media or rush to party offices, shouting slogans and create a fracas. We will not tolerate such indiscipline. Irrespective of the stature of such leaders or party workers, we will definitely expel them.'' Fat chance, given the state of Gujarat Congress.

Adds party spokesman Manish Doshi, "This issue is under consideration and  the party will take action against such people.” It could well be empty words if Modi sweeps Gujarat again.

The most significant has been the revolt by senior Congress leader Narhari Amin, a pompous patidar leader who has tasted defeat in the last three assembly elections but still insists he is a stalwart. This time he had asked for the Gandhinagar-South seat which is believed to be a safe seat for the Congress. He was denied the ticket as his candidature did not meet the criterion set by Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi. Annoyed by the denial, he had openly started criticising the party high command and even collected dissidents under his forum provoking them to work against the party, a mandate they are certain to fulfill on December 13.

Despite the carrots being offered by Delhi-based leaders, Amin has shown no sign of relenting. Says a senior Congress leader, “Amin is a shallow figure in the party. How dare he challenge the party high command? Had he been in the BJP, he would be shown the door or chopped to size."

The Congress had at one point of time seemed well set but the recent turmoil has weakened its chances immeasurably. A close aide of Sonia Gandhi’s political adviser Ahmed Patel told TSI, "The problem with the Congress is that it defeats itself." He should know.

manish.macwan@thesundayindian.com