Ekla chalo re disturbing the chorus for unity

Uddhav Thackeray. File Pic

Last Monday, this column had said the Maha Vikas Aghadi's three allies would be together in the government as long as it suited them even as they bicker with and bite each other. A week later, the Congress finds itself under attack from Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray, who also happens to be the head of the government that the century-old party supports.

What did the Congress leaders do to invite the CM's ire? The chief of the state Congress unit, Nana Patole, his Mumbai counterpart Bhai Jagtap, former CM Sushilkumar Shinde and many others have suggested that the party should go solo in the polls. The Congress's state in-charge H K Patil was urged that this demand be taken up with the high command, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. But Patil nipped the demand in the bud saying that it couldn't be considered now because the elections would be held after three years. Patil said the prime objective should be to run the government smoothly in Maharashtra. Discomforting as it could be for Congress leaders, Patil's statement must have comforted the other MVA allies. Patil said indirectly, apparently with instructions from the top, that the MVA would complete a five-year term.

The occasion was Rahul's birthday celebration on Saturday, where the demand for flying solo overshadowed anything else on the agenda. Shinde praised Patole for preparing party workers to fight independently. He said Patole has charged up the party. However, Patole isn't the only president who has said such things. There have been several such instances in the 15 years of the Congress-Nationalist Congress Party alliance, but the situation then was not as tricky as today's, though the siblings never lost an opportunity to topple each other. In the past seven years, Congress has been pushed to the fourth spot, with the BJP at the top, and Sena and NCP at the second and third positions, respectively. State Congress leaders had never been in such a precarious position; some of them stayed afloat when they got inducted as ministers.

What about those who aren't in the thick of the action in Mantralaya? They talk of making themselves the next CM. No wonder then, that Patole has projected himself as the next CM, and wants his party to contest solo - to begin with the local self-government elections, and later the Assembly polls - to test the waters. Many the Congress found his thoughts amusing, because to be the CM contender, Patole would have to win at least 70-80 MLAs (if he remains in the president's office till 2024). However, leaders agree with his proposal for the local self-government polls, because that would keep the party somewhat alive at the lower layers of governance. Being ambitious isn't sinning, but what matters is the way one tries to achieve his/her ultimate goal. Patole's overenthusiasm could be linked with his personal ambition alone when he is expected to think beyond himself. But such is the Congress culture that he will soon realise that taking on Narendra Modi when he was the BJP Lok Sabha member was much easier than dealing with the intra-party tussle, and the pressure from allies to keep restraint.

Thackeray, while addressing the party workers on the Sena's 55th foundation day, killed many birds with one stone. He sent out strong signals to the Congress‘s motor-mouth leaders (he had done it successfully with a Congress minister a fortnight ago). He said every party, including the Sena, has the right to grow. But he said, making inappropriate statements when the alliance is fighting a pandemic and preparing to deal with the post-COVID scenario would force people to thrash the motor-mouths (and ultimately the party they belong to) with footwear. Harsh words that sent the sainiks roaring and the targets in the Congress and the BJP wounded. Thackeray had a message for the BJP leaders who had been saying that the party would go alone in the polls, denying any possibility of restoring the saffron union.

Thackeray said the solo strength was needed to not just contest elections, but also in the battles for seeking justice and demanding the welfare of people. Did he try to tell the Congress that the Sena's fight against the mighty BJP was politically much worthier than the battered national party's efforts of taking off from the pit? Questions will be raised over the CM's confidence in inviting a great risk by giving the Congress a verbal thrashing. Some people may even link it with his one-on-one meeting with PM Narendra Modi.

The Sena president also recalled the strength of regional parties that have vanquished the Congress, and defeated the BJP in several states. In Maharashtra, the Sena and NCP qualify for this category. They are said to be the allies of the future if neither of them gets into a marriage of convenience with the BJP.

Dharmendra Jore is political editor, mid-day. He tweets @dharmendrajore
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