Gehlot meets Sonia; fresh fissures over Bharatpur violence

JAIPUR: The violence committed at a Congress workshop in Bharatpur early this month has exposed the fresh fissures that developed within the ruling party after a group of anti-Gehlot legislators stepped up its demand for a change of leadership in the state.
After initial statements that the May 5 violence was "deliberate" and "preplanned", the party leaders are now grouped into those demanding action against former Bharatpur MP Vishvendra Singh and those seeking clemency for him.The incident has gradually began to be seen as an attempt to weaken PCC chief Chandrabhan, who was taking an independent stand on the state's government performance.
The increasing infightings have forced the Congress central leadership to take a note of the political developments in the state. Congress president Sonia Gandhi's meeting with chief minister Ashok Gehlot in New Delhi on Tuesday is said to have revolved largely over the indiscipline issue plaguing the party in the state were assembly elections are due in December next year. Sources said Sonia has directed the chief minister to contain the growing disgruntlement within the state organisation as well as the party's legislative wing.
Apparently hurt by frequent complaints against him, Gehlot told reporters after his meeting with the party president: "No one is perfect. But if people are approaching the senior leaders, only truth should be told. This will demonstrate their loyalty towards the party."
A day earlier, AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi held discussions with Gehlot over the state's political developments. The chief minister's detractors have once again begun to project his three-day stay in Delhi and the meetings with the party top brass as indicative of 'changes' to follow.
In yet another instance of factionalism within the ruling party, a group of senior leaders is now emphasising that the BJP's allegations against Gujarat governor Kamla were a 'handiwork' of the some Congressmen only. "One by one all potential Jat Congress leaders are maliciously being dragged into baseless controversies to block the community's claim for top post (chief minister)," said a senior Congress leader who did not wish to be identified. The tussle between PCC chief Chandrabhan and former Bharatpur MP, Vishvendra Singh was also being projected in the same light.
Chandrabhan, meanwhile, toughened his stand against Vishvendra Singh on Tuesday. "Singh should say sorry to the party high command and the Congress workers and not to me," the PCC chief said, reacting to Singh's statement that he regretted his remarks against Chandrabhan. The Congress state president insisted that the violence committed at the Congress workshop in Bharatpur did not bode well for the party discipline. Soon after the incident Chandrabhan had suspended the remaining three workshops at Jaipur, Kota and Udaipur scheduled for this month.