A week is a long time in politics. This quote, widely attributed to former British Prime Minister Harold Wilson, has lately held true for the Congress — more than ever before. From Ji Huzoori to G23, from tomato attacks to the identical sher-o-shayari of the exits, the party was washing all its good and bad linen in public this week.
A CM’s dramatic resignation; an unexpected appointment replacing him within 24 hours; the entry of two young Leftists; a state unit president quitting his post barely two months after his appointment; a ‘dissenting’ veteran leader calling for introspection by the top leadership for the nth time that led to ‘infuriated’ party workers throwing tomatoes at his home — the Congress has witnessed all this and more in the last few days.
After maintaining silence for a few days, Congress in-charge for Punjab, Harish Rawat, Friday hit back at former CM Captain Amarinder Singh over the latter’s allegation that he had been humiliated by the party high command. Not only did Rawat contest that, he also raised questions about Captain’s frequent meetings with Home Minister Amit Shah in the last few months, the latest one being on Wednesday. “His meetings with Amit Shah and other BJP leaders are raising questions on his secular credentials,” Rawat said.
Captain responded Friday, saying it was the “pathetic condition” of the party in the state that led him to take that step, and nothing else.
This is a sign of things to come – how the Congress’ house will continue to lack order as elections in various states approach. Because of the ongoing drama, politics, and surprises that the party has thrown at the public, the Congress is ThePrint’s Newsmaker of the week.
Also read: Sidhu quit, Modi returned – and TV anchors behaved as if these were personal victories
Sidhu’s ‘duty’
A little over two months after being made Punjab Congress chief, Navjot Singh Sidhu bowled another googly — on Tuesday, he announced his resignation on Twitter, sharing the letter he wrote to Sonia Gandhi, which was replete with twisted alliterations incomprehensible to most.
— Navjot Singh Sidhu (@sherryontopp) September 28, 2021
It later became clear that Sidhu was referring to a series of appointments and cabinet inclusions made by Charanjit Singh Channi — from the new Director General of Police and the Advocate General, to the entry of certain “tainted” ministers in the government.
In a video statement, Sidhu made it clear that taking a stand for the people of Punjab is his “duty and his religion.” He said he will refuse to settle for any compromise. Later in the week, CM Channi invited Sidhu for a meeting, after which it was decided that a three-member committee will be set up to look into the issues, and Sidhu was likely to continue as the party chief in Punjab.
But Sidhu’s capricious and ostensibly temperamental attitude gave many an opportunity to call him “unstable.” Unsurprisingly, that charge was led by Captain Amarinder Singh, disgruntled and upset with what he termed repeated “humiliation” when he was asked to leave the CM’s chair two weeks ago.
I told you so…he is not a stable man and not fit for the border state of punjab.
— Capt.Amarinder Singh (@capt_amarinder) September 28, 2021
The ‘threat’ of the border state was a trope again used by senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal. In a press conference on Wednesday, Sibal called the political crisis in Punjab “an advantage to Pakistan and ISI”, given the violent history of the state.
Also read: Sidhu to remain Punjab Congress chief, coordination panel set up to resolve crisis after CM meet
Ji huzoori and the lack thereof
But that isn’t all that Sibal said. The leader also reiterated the demands of the ‘G-23’ — on how there needs to be introspection to know why a string of leaders have quit the party, particularly those considered close to the top brass. He demanded a Congress Working Committee meeting to discuss these matters.
“One thing is clear, we are not Ji Huzoor (Yes, your lordship) 23. We will say what we have to, and keep reiterating it,” Sibal said.
Despite Sibal’s insistence that “strengthening Congress is important for democracy” and that he will “never leave the party”, the response his press conference received from the party was far from welcoming.
Within hours of Sibal’s statement, his house was surrounded by Congress party workers who raised slogans of “Get well soon” and “Rahul Gandhi Zindabad!” It did not end there. Scenes of vandalism played out, with Sibal’s car reportedly attacked with tomatoes.
The “hooliganism” was condemned by top leaders of the Congress: Anand Sharma, P. Chidambaram, Manish Tewari, and Shashi Tharoor. The protests that seemingly appeared to be a pushback against the call for introspection by Sibal, only served to amplify the party veteran’s statement, and also reflected the organisation in a poor light.
Also read: BJP on backfoot in Gujarat, time for Congress to mobilise people, Jignesh Mevani says
Entry of a self-styled ‘saviour’
The continuing Punjab crisis, followed by Sibal’s press conference and the subsequent attack on him eclipsed another major event that took place in the Congress this week—Kanhaiya Kumar and Jignesh Mevani’s entry into the party.
On Tuesday, just as Sidhu was putting in his papers, former CPI leader Kumar and independent MLA from Gujarat, Mevani, were joining the Congress.
While Mevani has always been supported by the party in his seat, Kumar’s entry came as a shocker to many. A ‘dyed in the wool’ Leftist, who rose to prominence on the back of a student movement in a Left-leaning central university, Kumar showed every sign of being the next big revolutionary leader for the ever-crumbling Indian Left.
But the leader, while joining the Congress, almost came across as positioning himself as a “savior” of the party. Multiple times through the course of the press conference, he emphasised on the need to “save” the party, and that the weakening of the opposition doesn’t bode well for democracy. He even went on to say that “bigger ship needs to be saved for smaller ones to survive.”
The insinuation was clear: the Congress needs him, he doesn’t need the Congress; he is the one doing a favour to the party.
The Congress continues to be a simmering pot of entries and exits, growing dissent and rebellion, and in some measure, of uncompromising loyalty.
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(Edited by Anurag Chaubey)