Groupism intensifies in Cong.

By Manas Dasgupta

GANDHINAGAR, AUG. 18. The groupism within the Gujarat Congress is slowly assuming the proportion of an all-out war between the supporters of the State unit president, Mr. Amarsinh Chaudhary, and his arch-rival, the former External Affairs Minister, Mr. Madhavsinh Solanki.

Instead of strengthening the organisation when the popularity graph of the ruling BJP is showing a declining trend, the supporters of the rival factions in the State Congress are trying to outdo each other in their respective areas of influence.

Following the party president, Ms. Sonia Gandhi's call at the Bangalore convention to ``remove the BJP and save the country,'' Mr. Solanki had been virtually holding parallel party conventions in different parts of the State. But the official faction has not taken kindly to such conventions in south Gujarat towns, the areas of influence of the former All India Congress Committee treasurer, Mr. Ahmed Patel, and Mr. Chaudhary.

Mr. Chaudhary's supporters said if Mr. Solanki was keen on strengthening the organisation, he should have organised such conventions only in the presence of the local leaders, including Mr. Patel and Mr. Chaudhary. The Solanki supporters, however, claimed that all were invited to attend the conventions and no separate invitations were required.

As a counter measure, the official faction has organised a convention of party workers at Borsad, the home town of Mr. Solanki, who will be away in Surat, the home town of Mr. Chaudhary, addressing a rally there.

The group rivalry is continuing even after Ms. Gandhi, in a bid to keep the party united, set up a six-member standing committee to oversee the affairs of the organisation. The committee comprised the leaders of all the major factions, including Mr. Chaudhary, Mr. Solanki, Mr. Patel, the former Chief Minister, Mr. Shankersinh Waghela, the former Union Minister, Ms. Urmilaben Patel and the AICC secretary in charge of Gujarat affairs, Mr. Kamal Nath.

Yet another tussle, this time for the post of the Leader of the Opposition in the State Assembly, is expected to be witnessed at the Congress Legislature Party meeting on August 24. The meeting has been convened to elect a new leader in place of Mr. Chaudhary, who on being appointed the PCC president, has agreed to relinquish the post under the party's ``one man one post'' formula.

The CLP meeting, to be attended by the AICC secretary, Kumari Selja, and the party MP, Mr. Shubhash Pachauri, as the AICC observer, is expected to adopt a one-line resolution empowering Ms. Gandhi to select a new leader. But many of the party MLAs, particularly those belonging to the official faction, are opposing the move and want the election to be held at the CLP meeting.

They felt that if Ms. Gandhi was given the power to name a new leader, she might favour a Solanki supporter to maintain a balance in the State unit, even though Mr. Solanki enjoyed very little following in the CLP. The only strong Solanki supporter in the CLP is Mr. Udeysinh Baria, the present Legislature Party secretary. Besides Mr. Baria, Mr. Naresh Raval, the CLP chief whip, and senior party members including Mr. Jasubhai Barad and Mr. Sidhhartha Patel, have staked their claim for the post.

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