Split Peas In The Pod

The 23-member UP Congress Legislature Party (CLP) sub-divided still further last week to the consternation but hardly the surprise of the central leadership. Helpless rather than clueless, they'd seen it coming, having narrowly averted a split on December 30 last year when 12 of the 23 legislators almost bolted. The episode had served to underpin the need for overhauling the party set-up.

Despite being fully aware that its MLAs were vulnerable, the Congress high command proved ineffective for two reasons. First, the MLAs had been straining at the leash ever since they were elected, with several of them hoping to get ministerial berths by backing a minority government led by Mulayam Singh Yadav. That ambition was thwarted when the Congress ruled out any truck with the SP. Second was the state leadership's inability to control its own loyalists. After all, one of those who fled was a member of CLP leader Pramod Tewari's coterie. Another was the son of MP Noor Bano. And a third was the brother of MP S.S. Bundela.

The MLAs were upset at not having been consulted in the selection of their lone MLC, Ranjit Singh Judev, who was elected unopposed last month. There was also some truth in CWC member Ambika Soni's contention that Mayawati used a carrot-and-stick policy to lure the MLAs away. The MLAs will likely form a pressure group of their own rather than merge with the BSP.

The party high command is crying foul over the UP Speaker's recognition of a "split" and is insisting that the MLAs be disqualified under the anti-defection law. Legislator Akhilesh Singh had already been sacked from the party and recognised as unattached, they say. Thus, only seven out of 23 (not 8 out of 24) had done a bunk, one short of the mandatory one-third required for a split, is their claim.

This arithmetic apart, Congress leaders admit they're back to square one in the state. There's a sympathetic Muslim electorate, but no other reliable votebank. This means the party continues to be seen as being on the sidelines. Luring the disgruntled Brahmin and Thakur voter away from the bjp could give the Congress the launch pad it needs. But local leaders insist only Priyanka can bridge the credibility gap.