Cong strategy to prevent factional fighting comes unstuck

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New Delhi, Nov 19 : Congress strategy not to project a chief ministerial candidate in the six election going states to prevent factional fighting from marring party’s chances appears to be coming unstuck in Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan.

Former Chhattisgarh chief minister Ajit Jogi has left no stone unturned to send a loud and clear signal that he was leading the party’s comeback bid in the tribal dominated state. An earlier offer by wheelchair-bound Jogi, who is contesting from Marwahi which will go to polls tomorrow in the second and final phase, to take on chief minister Raman Singh in his home constituency was one such move. Jogi evokes strong reaction—for or against—in the party and the BJP too has been mainly targeting him.

In Rajasthan, former chief minister Ashok Gehlot’s projection by the media as the only leader who could take on chief minister Vasundhara Raje has put paid the AICC’s plans, a senior party leader said. An AICC general secretary said that the move not to project any chief-ministerial candidate was to ensure that all factions and leaders worked unitedly and there was “no sabotage”.

The AICC has been maintaining that the newly elected MLAs will elect their leader in consulation with party high-command. “You cannot announce the name of the party leader before the election in a parliamentary democracy,” a senior leader had said.