VIJAY DEO JHA
Ranchi, April 4: Jharkhand Congress in-charge Avinash Pande has called another meeting of party leaders in Delhi on Tuesday where he is likely to appoint former union minister Subodh Kant Sahay, former state presidents and other senior leaders as the district in-charge.
But Pande calling a series of the meeting has left many in the party baffled. They said that a meeting must have a purpose and outcome. They said calling meetings in Delhi put additional financial burdens on many leaders who don’t have much financial means.
“Two days back he was in the town (Ranchi) and he could have held the meeting here. Important issues of the party in Jharkhand are taking a back seat,” said a leader.
Notably, four days back in Delhi he held a meeting with former presidents of the Jharkhand Congress and former heads of different morchas. These meetings have been called to mobilize and strengthen the support base of the party.
Pande took charge about two months back and so far, he visited Jharkhand for around eight times and organized a number of programmes. Under his direction, three days’ Chintan Shivir was organized followed by divisional level workers’ meet, demonstrations and many other closed-door meetings.
“Press the head if you have a headache. But the leadership presses legs. This is precisely the situation of the party in Jharkhand. There is no follow-up of decisions taken during previous meetings. There are some important issues related to the legislative party of the Congress, the government and the organization,” said a senior leader of the party.
The working committee of Jharkhand Congress has yet not been formed. However, a jumbo coordination committee and a battery of working presidents have been put in place. But these hardly solve the problem. Even a disciplinary committee has not been formed leading to a chaotic situation. The membership drive is in the shambles.
At the Chintan Shivir the party had decided to press Chief Minister Hemant Soren for the common minimum programme and the state level coordination committee to be headed by any Congress leader. But the party has not sent any further reminders to the alliance partner.
