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Congress decision not to contest Rampur, Azamgarh Lok Sabha bypolls triggers war of words
The war of words comes even after Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s call to make necessary corrections and move forward with double strength and vigour after the party’s poor show in the Uttar Pradesh assembly pollsearlier this year
The Congress move not to field candidates for the Rampur and Azamgarh Lok Sabha bypolls has triggered a war of words on social media with senior party leaders questioning the party’s decision.
The war of words comes even after Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s call to make necessary corrections and move forward with double strength and vigour after the party’s poor show in the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls.
“Let’s resolve to move forward with double of our strength and with a new vigour. We have two years to go (for 2024 Lok Sabha elections),” she had said while addressing party workers here on June 1.
The Congress had won only two seats in the 2022 Uttar Pradesh assembly polls.
The issue came to the fore when a letter from the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee vice president (incharge administration) Yogesh Dixit announced that the party would not field its candidates for the Rampur and Azamgarh Lok Sabha bypolls.
Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Azam Khan and SP chief Akhilesh Yadav had won the seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Both of them are now MLAs.
“The Congress will not field its candidates for the by-election to Rampur and Azamgarh Lok Sabha seats. In Uttar Pradesh, the Congress should rebuild itself keeping in view the outcome of the 2022 assembly elections to present itself as an alternative in 2024 general elections,” Dixit said in a letter dated June 6.
Vibhakar Shastri, senior Congress leader and grandson of former Prime Minister the late Lal Bahadur Shastri, reacted to this strongly on social media.
“Did no party organisation exist for the past five years? So, was the election contested without any party organisation? The accountability of the strategists and secretaries should be fixed for this. The Congress workers were as ready for the struggle yesterday as they are ready today,” said Shastri in a tweet.
UPCC organisation secretary Anil Yadav has countered Shastri’s tweet: “Mr Shastri, it is very easy to question the party organisation. From 2009 till now, you must not have been with Fatehpur workers for even 9 days. Well, it is easy to tweet sitting in AC because it is very hot outside. It’s summer, isn’t it Shastri ji!”
When contacted, Shastri said he had spoken the truth and would raise the issue before the party leadership at the appropriate time.
“I have only written the truth. This is the feeling of Congress workers. Political parties are there to contest polls. The party leadership has to realise that they are being misguided. I will raise the issue before the party leadership as well at the appropriate time,” he said.
Dixit, however, said most senior party leaders have suggested that the party should focus on strengthening its organisation instead of contesting the by-election and he conveyed the party’s decision that has triggered reactions on social media.
Besides, former minister Nawab Quazim Ali Khan, in a letter to Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, said he wanted to contest the Rampur Lok Sabha seat. He said some vested interests ensured a Lok Sabha ticket in the 2019 polls to a candidate who could not secure sufficient votes. He said if the prevailing situation in the party continued, he may be denied a ticket in 2024 Lok Sabha polls as well. He has requested Congress president Sonia Gandhi to give him and his mother some time to enable him to put his point across.
