NEW DELHI: A new problem has gripped the Congress with the Youth Congress asserting itself to the extent ‘of demanding a quota of party tickets for the Lok Sabha elections and defying the wishes of senior leaders regarding appointment of its office-bearers.
Several party leaders have resented ‘the high profile Youth Congress chief, Maninderjit Singh Bitta’s assertive altitude and his reluctance to accommodate their nominees in the party youth wing’s state units. Among the leaders who have of late found their recommendations being turned down by the YC chief, are the Agriculture Minister, Balram Jakhar, “the Uttar Pradesh party unit president, Jeetendra Prasad and even the AICC general secretary in charge of the youth ‘wing, Ahmed Patel. ‘Some Congress chief ministers have also loathed the fact that their nominees are not being properly accommodated by the YC chief. Apparently, because of his proximity to the Congress president, P.V. Narasimha Rao, Bitta has asserted himself and even called for a ‘fair share’ of party tickets in recognition of the youth wing’s aggressive campaign against Rao’s detractors both in the party and Outside during the previous months of crisis.
What has raised eyebrows in the party circles is Bitta’s growing clout with the Congress president and his continuation in the YC long after crossing the age bar for the ‘organization’s membership.
Rao has apparently endorsed a YC proposal to raise a trained cadre with representation from every district of the country despite opposition from some party leaders who suggested that this should be the responsibility of the AICC training cell. Rewarding the YC chief for his fierce Opposition to the Arjun Singh N.D. Tiwari faction Rao recently appointed him a member of the Jatianawala Bagh trust of which he is the chairman.
However, Bitta’s growing stalurch as caused resentment among some leaders whom he has sought to defy. The YC president’s demand for a quota of arty tickets to “send Rao loyalists to the Lok Sabha” is seen as part of a move to bring home the message to the party men that in the crucial period before the elections the premium is on loyalty.
Article extracted from this publication >> July 7, 1995
