Who will lead the Congress into UP2017? Uncertainty grips party

QUICK PILL

The uncertainty

• The UP Congress committee is grappling with doubts over the future of its senior functionaries
• Party V-P Rahul Gandhi has gone on a 25-day foreign trip, without clearing up the confusion

The strategy

• Poll strategist Prashant Kishor wants a Brahmin face to lead the state Congress
• Brahmins make up 10% of UP\'s population, and parties are seeing them as king makers

More in the story

• Who are the possible replacements for state Cong chief Nirmal Khatri?
• What is the party\'s state in-charge Ghulam Nabi Azad most worried about?

As the battle for Uttar Pradesh heats up ahead of next year's Assembly polls, the Congress is lagging behind.

While other parties have hit the ground running on the campaign trail, the UP Congress Committee is still struggling with the uncertainty over its functionaries. And what's worse, the party's national vice-president Rahul Gandhi is off on a 25-day sojourn to an unknown foreign destination, leaving state leaders clueless about whether to expect drastic changes.

Amid all this confusion and speculation, reports suggest that state Congress chief Nirmal Khatri has tendered his resignation to the party high command, which is yet to take a decision on the matter. Khatri met Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Monday, and sources claimed that he offered to resign, citing health reasons for his decision.

Even his absence from a meeting in Lucknow called by Ghulam Nabi Azad, the newly-appointed general secretary in-charge of the state, had tongues wagging. Many were predicting an end to Khatri's reign as state Congress chief. However, Azad put the rumors to rest after he clarified that Khatri's absence was due to a medical condition.

The PK factor

Ever since Madhusudan Mistry was replaced by Azad, Congress insiders claimed that Khatri too would follow suit, considering his differences with poll strategist Prashant Kishor.

In fact, Kishor had been pitching for a Brahmin face to lead the Congress's election campaign in the state. Earlier this year, Congress had roped in the star strategist to revive the party's fortunes in UP, where it has been out of power since 1989.

Also read- Congress strategist Prashant Kishor faces heat after secret 'Brahmin meeting' in Uttar Pradesh

In Lucknow, it was well-known how Kishor had been planting stories about Khatri's removal, and why the party needs a Brahmin leader to woo this crucial section, which was once considered a traditional Congress support base.

Brahmins form 10% of the state's population, and are being wooed by political parties, which see them as king makers.

Ever since Kishor was given a free hand to take the party's election campaign forward, he has faced resistance from state leadership, including the former state in-charge, Mistry. Apparently, Mistry was unhappy with Kishor's style of functioning, and how he took unilateral decisions without consulting either him or Khatri.

"Khatri felt sidelined and so did Mistry. They have repeatedly shared their grievances with Rahul, who was firmly backing Kishor. As a matter of fact, everyone was under the impression that Khatri would be replaced before Mistry, but that wasn't to be. This uncertainty is jeopardising the whole election campaign process," said a senior Congress functionary.

Paucity of time

The functionary said that while other parties had sorted out such minor issues, the Congress was still grappling with who would be the state unit chief. Many believe that replacing Khatri now could possibly backfire, since his successor would have very little time at hand to strategise and be accepted by the entire state unit.

Interestingly, Azad had raised doubts about the time he had been given to turn around the party's fortunes in the state. "I was given much more time in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, while in UP, I have just a few months. It's a tough task, but we will work hard and ensure the Congress silences its critics," he had said a day after assuming charge as the UP in-charge.

Also read- Congress appoints Ghulam Nabi Azad as Uttar Pradesh in-charge ahead of Assembly polls

The Brahmin faces who are in the reckoning as Khatri's replacement include former Union minister Jitin Prasada, Rajya Sabha MP Pramod Tewari and former Varanasi MP Rajesh Mishra.

However, a senior state Congress leader dismissed these rumors, and called Khatri "a seasoned Congressman", adding that there was no reason to replace him. Also, he did not rule out the possibility of a known face becoming the campaign committee chief.

"Appointing a Brahmin would not ensure that the community would vote for you. Whatever be the case, it should be sorted out soon. Elections are just around the corner, and we shouldn't be wasting our time in these petty issues," the leader said.

The party is facing a similar dilemma over its chief ministerial candidate, after Azad confirmed that Congress would project a face before the state polls.

Some have even gone to the extent of speculating that former Delhi CM Shiela Dikshit could be the CM candidate, given the need for a Brahmin face.

However, her candidature doesn't have many takers in the state, since she is hardly considered a Brahmin, and such a move could further hurt the party's electoral fortunes.

Edited by Shreyas Sharma

More in Catch

Congress may project Rahul Gandhi as Uttar Pradesh's CM candidate in 2017 Assembly polls

Just how much more insignificant can Congress get in UP?

5 reasons why the Congress is in a shambles in Uttar Pradesh