Pioneer-Dilli Billi-March.13th.2011-"WHY THE UNKNOWN FACES"

"Why the unknown faces?"


The Congress has inducted new members in the Party who are not known among the leaders as well as the workers
Just before the budget session, while a big reshuffle was rumoured in the Union Cabinet, a small one was done. After that, everyone expected at least a major change in the AICC. Unfortunately, even that did not happen. The announcement made last week was a shock to many. New faces were inducted in the CWC, but all were unknown.
The induction from Himachal, Shandil is someone Congressmen are not too familiar with. Even seniors in the Party could not initially make out who he was. After all, Shandil was one of the people who Sukhram used when he formed his own party and could not find enough candidates to field. One can say the same about Raj Babbar who was an SP member a couple of years back in UP. He joined the Congress after his fallout with Amar Singh. Even Beni Prasad Verma is an outsider for the Congress. Charak from Kashmir is hardly a known name or face. So is Mohan Prakash, a political lightweight.
The old faithful Congressmen are now wondering aloud what is wrong that they are not being given responsibilities or plum posts. Instead, these people who have just entered the party, who are not familiar with the working of the party, are being trusted. How can people like Charak or Mohan Prakash be in charge of important States like Punjab and Maharashtra? Will senior leaders like Amrinder Singh, Shinde or Vilasrao Deshmukh give any importance to these new entrants? It is not that the Congress has a dearth of talent. There are enough people from the States who could have been pulled into the party to regain its ground, like Virender Singh, the known Jat leader from Haryana. Some people at high places in the Congress have also been chargesheeted in corruption cases. What is it that drives the Congress to leave efficient, experienced and deserving people out of decision making?
The real grassroot worker, who has worked day and night for decades in the party and has patiently waited with all his experiences to serve the party, is sidelined and is driven to frustration. The women who are given preference are the ones who have learnt the crafty ways of gaining attention of people who matter and, hence, are rewarded. But while Rahul Gandhi’s team members may be new, they are clean. Rahul’s team does not carry any baggage. Also most of them are familiar with the villages as they are from well regarded NGOs. The old Congress hands are wondering whether there is a bigger game plan in all this. The ally partners of the Congress like Mamata or the DMK will hopefully pull their States through. Assam looks good for the Congress and so does Pondicherry. But the AICC still needs to induct strong Congress hands who can give major inputs as they have experience and knowledge and know the pulse of the real Congressman in every State. Some wonder if this is panic reaction after the scams hit the party and the Government.