Revenue minister Jagat Singh Negi has expressed “strong displeasure” at the decision of Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC) to dissolve the three Block Congress Committees (BCCs)—Kalpa, Nichar, and Pooh—in Kinnaur district and termed the same as “incorrect” while alleging that veteran and grassroots workers have been sidelined in the new executive body.
Negi’s comments once again brings to fore the simmering differences within the Congress party regarding organisational changes in Himachal Pradesh’s Kinnaur district.
HPCC on September 5 had dissolved the entire District Congress Committee (DCC) Kinnaur along with all three BCCs—Kalpa, Nichar and Pooh—with immediate effect. Though district president Nigam Bhandari and the three block presidents have been retained in their posts. The minister criticised the decision to dissolve the BCC executive committees.
The difference in Kinnaur Congress unit had been simmering since the party high command appointed Negi Nigam Bhandari as the Kinnaur district Congress president in June this year.
Cabinet minister and senior Congress leader Jagat Singh Negi has raised serious questions about the organisational restructuring in Kinnaur. Without explicitly naming anyone, Negi, who is the MLA from Kinnaur has alleged that veteran and grassroots workers have been sidelined.
Negi claimed that not a single individual associated with the “authentic” Congress of Kinnaur was given a place in the DCC. He alleged that the organisation was populated with “sleeper cells” noting that individuals included in the organisation had never previously been part of the active Congress organisational structure. This is being seen as a veiled attack on the district president of Kinnaur’s Congress unit.
{{/usCountry}}Negi claimed that not a single individual associated with the “authentic” Congress of Kinnaur was given a place in the DCC. He alleged that the organisation was populated with “sleeper cells” noting that individuals included in the organisation had never previously been part of the active Congress organisational structure. This is being seen as a veiled attack on the district president of Kinnaur’s Congress unit.
{{/usCountry}}Highlighting his family’s long-standing association with the Congress in Kinnaur, Negi said, “My father served as an MLA twice and upheld the Congress banner during a time when the party was virtually unknown in Kinnaur. I too worked for the Congress for several decades and is currently serving his fifth term as an MLA.”
“Kinnaur Congress has more than 4,000 members. If you sideline them and bring in people whom you call ‘Jaichands’ and ‘sleeper cells’, that will not strengthen the Congress,” said Negi, who is one of the senior party leaders.
He said that workers who had toiled for the Congress in Kinnaur for years did not receive adequate representation in the new committee. Negi alleged, “not a single person from the real Congress of Kinnaur was included in the executive body.”
Without naming any one, the cabinet minister took a dig at the new organisational setup and alleged that “parachute leaders” had been accommodated within the organisation. He remarked that the Congress had built its organisation in Kinnaur through decades of hard work and struggle, therefore, workers who kept the party’s flag flying during difficult times should not be overlooked.
Negi claimed that a new 56-member DCC was formed by sidelining leaders from the previous executive body. He stated that veteran and active organisational workers should have been given proper representation in the new DCC. Negi alleged that the new committee includes individuals who had never previously played an active role in the organisation.
When contacted, president of the state Congress, Vinay Kumar said, “We are a democratic party and every person has the right to voice their concerns. We have to take everyone along and no one will be sidelined, especially the grassroots workers who are the backbone of the organisation. We will resolve the matter soon by talking to both the minister and district president.”
He added that the HPCC had dissolved the entire DCC Kinnaur along with all three BCCs—Kalpa, Nichar and Pooh—after regional imbalance came to the notice.
Hits out at BJP over PM’s birthday lamp-lighting
Negi also criticised the BJP over programmes organised to mark Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday, particularly the lighting of lamps.
“If it was the PM’s birthday, why was there a need to light lamps? The PM himself says that people should consume less oil,” he said. Negi alleged that the BJP was relying on “event management” and claimed that the government was spending public money on publicity-oriented programmes.