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08/07/2010 Congress to deploy big guns for campaign in Bihar Patna,(BiharTimes): With the visit of Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jyotiraditya Scindia on Wednesday started the Congress party’s campaign to press into service its big guns for the Bihar assembly election. The party national president, Sonia Gandhi and general secretary, Rahul Gandhi, are likely to address a big rally, first of its kind in over 20 years, in Patna’s Gandhi Maidan sometimes in August. According to state party president, Chaudhary Mahboob Ali Qaisar, who met Sonia early this week, the party had planned to organize the rally at Gandhi Maidan on August Kranti Day (August 8) but was denied permission by the authorities because the date is too close for the Independence Day parade. Like all the opposition the Congress party leaders too have got a good opportunity to exploit the simmering tension in the rank and file of the Janata Dal (United) and BJP, especially after the Narendra Modi episode of June 12 and subsequent return of the Kosi relief money to the Gujarat government. Even Scindia started his campaign with the same strategy. The return of relief money has put the state government in defensive position as none of the minister in the Nitish cabinet has been able to reply to the allegations by the opposition parties that why not were the money spent on the poor victims of the devastating flood. Besides, the manner in which the supporters of the Janata Dal (United) and BJP clashed in Patna on Bharat Bandh day on July 5 has provided the opposition parties fresh ammunition to fire on the state government. “Why of all the leaders Monazir Hasan was present there and spoke against Narendra Modi. He is directly playing into the hands of Nitish and BJP leaders and thus vitiating communal situation in the state. This is harmful for the interest of the state,” the organizing secretary of Congress S M Sharaf, told BiharTimes. Keeping in mind the assembly election in October-November the Congress has lined up an array of Union ministers and MPs to tour the state later this month. Young and dynamic leaders like Jyotiraditya Scindi, who also met party workers in Patna and Vaishali on Wednesday, will directly target chief minister Nitish Kumar. The basic thrust of the party would be to attack the image of Nitish Kumar. Political observers are of the view that this would be a major shift in stance as the Congress has never been so aggressive against him. As the return of Rs five crore has exposed the Nitish government each and every leader has planned to make it an issue. Scindia in Vaishali made it amply clear as to how the state government failed in utilizing the funds meant for the centrally-sponsored flag-ship projects. Rampant corruption and rise in crime were also the main thrust of his speech. He said neither Nitish nor the JD(U) would decide the strength of the Congress. It is the people of Bihar who will soon show the strength of Congress, he added. Apart from Upper Castes and Dalits the Congress would try to win back the support of Muslims, who are now greatly disillusioned by the recent chain of events. “There was absolutely no reason to drag Muslims into the controversy. Till June 12, when Narendra Modi poster issue first cropped up, the chief minister was certainly more favourite among Muslims than the Congress. Now it would be RJD-LJP combine and Congress which would vie for their votes,” felt Saad, an activist. These big guns will have the arms without ammunition and are surely going to do Hawai Fire without any target. What will they tell people of Bihar about their contribution – Price Rise, Zero Industry Investment, Obstacle for growth of Bihar by creating surprise policy like ethanol, Coal linkage, etc. These people have no acceptability in Bihar. None of Bihar votes are going to recognize them. ----------- THE ANATOMY OF A POLITICAL RALLY ! |
