IN A BID TO STALL MAMATA’S DELHI MOVE, CONGRESS SINGS COMBATIVE RAGA

Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi is seen to be quite active in the monsoon session of Parliament and has given a direct message that the party would lead the Opposition. Rahul Gandhi tried to corner the government on issues ranging from the farmers’ issue to the snooping saga, so that he should be seen as leading the Opposition.

Looking at the Opposition’s stand in the session, it does not seem that the session will now continue till its last week. The government can end the monsoon session this week. Rahul Gandhi also realised that Mamata Banerjee and Sharad Pawar could lead the Opposition by forming a separate front in the Congress too. Some leaders in the Congress too are not very happy about Rahul Gandhi’s leadership. Some leaders involved in the dissatisfied Group 23 have even raised questions. Therefore, the Congress has changed its entire strategy and started trying to show Rahul Gandhi as aggressive. Rahul Gandhi is also likely to make organisational changes in the party soon after the monsoon session.

Sources say that former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath and Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot are playing important roles behind the scenes. Kamal Nath on Tuesday made it clear that Congress can lead the Opposition. On the other hand, Gehlot’s meeting with Haryana Congress president Kumari Selja and Karnataka’s D.K. Shivakumar in the last two-three days is believed to be the reason behind this.

The party is struggling with factionalism in both Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. It is understood that Gehlot must have explained to both the leaders the wishes of the high command. Although there are many important decisions to be taken regarding Rajasthan too, the first priority of the Congress is to show itself as active and powerful as the Opposition. Questions have also been raised about Rahul Gandhi’s leadership, especially after the defeat in five states including Bengal has raised many challenges.

Mamata Banerjee also took advantage of Rahul Gandhi’s weakness and started dreaming of her own leadership. However, even before Mamata Banerjee’s visit to Delhi, Rahul Gandhi had become very active on the issues of farmers and snooping. He protested from a tractor to Parliament House on the farmers’ issue. After that, he has been mobilising the Opposition inside and outside Parliament and cornering the government.

Today, after tea diplomacy with leaders of 14 parties, Rahul Gandhi tried to give a message that he would lead the Opposition in Delhi. Although leaders of TMC, NCP and Shiv Sena also attended the meeting, the real message is to Mamata Banerjee: that she should not think of coming to Delhi.