Ranchi, Nov. 5: Rahul Gandhi wants the Congress in Jharkhand to lead the Opposition campaign against the BJP-led state government rather than play second fiddle to the likes of JVM, whose chief Babulal Marandi has assumed centre stage in the ongoing protests against chief minister Raghubar Das's move to amend age-old land acts.
The Congress national vice-president aired his views at a meeting with a delegation from the state, comprising the party's national spokesperson Ajoy Kumar, former Union minister Subodh Kant Sahay, former ministers K.N. Tripathi and Mannan Mallick, and former MLA Sarfaraz Ahmed, in Delhi yesterday.
This came after Sahay complained to Rahul that state Congress president Sukhdeo Bhagat was not willing to support agitation being led by any non-Congress party against proposed changes to CNT and SPT Acts.
"Rahul ji told us that the Congress should unite other political parties, engage like-minded forces and lead a strong agitation. We are negotiating with JMM, JVM, Left parties and others to share a common ground. The party should take leadership of the agitation," national spokesperson Kumar said.
He went on to add: "Inherent rights of tribal and farmers over land and forest products are being usurped by the Jharkhand government, which the UPA government had protected through various legislations. Hence, the Congress carries moral and political weight to lead the agitation that can be joined by all."
Rahul's suggestions have come at a time when the rift between the warring factions led by Bhagat and Sahay has deepened with both accusing each other of harming the party.
The state Congress leadership has taken serious objection to Sahay's growing bonhomie with JVM chief Babulal Marandi, who has taken the centre stage of the anti-BJP agitations, be it the Ramgarh, Hazaribagh and Khunti police firings or proposed amendments in the CNT and SPT acts and others.
But Sahay, speaking to The Telegraph over phone, said that Rahul had expressed displeasure over Bhagat not co-operating with like-minded forces to oppose the BJP politically and ideologically.
Bhagat criticised Sahay. "I don't know why a senior leader like Sahay is promoting and projecting Marandi and sharing the JVM banner when he has his own party's platform," he said.
According to insiders, there is a growing perception that Sahay's closeness with JVM is an attempt to safe and secure his political career ahead of the 2019 general elections.
"He is looking for alternative political options other than the Congress," said a source.A senior Congress leader in Delhi admitted that Sahay's proximity with Marandi has not gone down well with the central leadership despite the fact that he enjoys strong backing from Sonia Gandhi's political secretary Ahmed Patel.
Bhagat, at his meeting with Rahul last month, had discussed these issues with him.
On Friday, he announced a series of agitations against the BJP government, including a rally in Jamshedpur as well as Jharkhand Assembly gherao on November 17, the first day of winter session when the state government is likely to introduce the Bill to amend certain provisions of the CNT and SPT Acts.
On the other hand, an all-party rally has been called at Jantar Mantar in Delhi, tentatively on November 24, where Marandi will lead the demonstration. "We have not decided whether to participate in it or not. It is not the Congress programme," Bhagat said.
