Cong divided on CM projection

Jun 13, 2011 - Venkatesh Kesari |

Age Correspondent

New Delhi

Ahead of the tough battle in Uttar Pradesh, the Congress is divided over the issue of projecting a leader to take on chief minister Mayawati. While three key players — BSP, Samajwadi Party and even the BJP — have chief ministerial candidates, the Congress is lacking strong regional satraps.
Although the Congress’ stated line on projecting a leader (CM candidate) has been that the party never projects a leader before elections, Mr Tarun Gogoi, Ms Sheila Dikshit, Mr Ashok Gehlot, Mr Virbhadra Singh and Capt. Amarinder Singh are always seen as leaders in Assam, Delhi, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh and Punjab, irrespective of whether or not they are projected officially.
Even Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia is emerging as a leader in MP. In Kerala, Union minister A.K. Antony and the late K. Karunakaran were always seen as chief ministerial candidates while the late Y.S.R. Reddy brought the party back in AP. The Congress could won two Maharashtra Assembly polls consecutively since 2004 not because of a leader (CM Ashok Chavan), but due to a pre-poll tieup with the NCP.
However, the two national parties — the Congress and the BJP — have been lacking a leader in UP. While the BJP does not have a Narendra Modi in UP after Kalyan Singh, the state Congress is optimistic that Mr Rahul Gandhi’s charisma would work once again in the state after the LS polls.

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