New UPCC list raises hackles, unrest brews within
Unrest is brewing in the UP Congress cadres as also the former office-bearers of the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC) after the latter were left out in the cold and new and fewer faces included as the UPCC brass on Monday.
Upset over the sudden change in state leadership, some leaders even hinted at leaving the party and looking for greener pastures as they felt that there was no space for them within the party.
For example a former UPCC spokesperson, not wishing to be named, said that the Nehru-Gandhi bastion of Allahabad, now renamed as Prayagraj, had no representation in the new UPCC list as against four out of 36 general secretaries and a spokesperson hailing from Sangam city in the previous UPCC.
He said that though the changes had been made keeping in view the forthcoming assembly polls on 11 assembly seats later this month including Pratapgarh, Lucknow Cantt, Rampur, Gangoh, Govindpur, Jalalpur, Zaidpur, Iglas, Manikpur, Ghosi and Balha, a drastic overhaul just few days before the assembly polls in state could prove to be counterproductive.
Similarly, a former general secretary of the party’s state committee, not willing to be named, also expressed displeasure over the unexpected overhaul. “After giving over two decades of selfless service to the party, today, I have become useless to the party and hence, have been removed. The party is gradually disintegrating with a handful of leaders conducting the show. I feel that choosing a better option will not be a wrong decision for me,” he added.
However, All India Congress Committee (AICC) member Shekhar Bahuguna played down the resentment amongst party cadres and appealed to party leaders and activists to remain united during testing times.
“It is unfortunate that leaders like Sanjay Nirupam, Ashok Tanwar, etc have expressed resentment over party decisions, as it is the top leadership of any organisation which decides its future course and not a single person. In UPCC too, changes have been made to suit the present situation and every party activist should accept it and work responsibly to strengthen the party, as forthcoming assembly by polls on 11 seats later this month are crucial,” he added.
New UPCC chief Ajay Kumar Lallu said that the unrest was temporary and he expected it to subside soon. “It is the decision of the party high command to make small committees and reach out to the maximum people and hopefully this will work,” he added.