Rahul's visit postponed, State Cong leaders struggle to convince workers

Vijay Deo Jha RANCHI Tuesday, April 22, 2008

RanchiThe last time change made in the scheduled Jharkhand visit of Rahul Gandhi, the general secretary of the Congress, has put the State leaders in jittery. It has left the Congress leaders to come out with suitable plea to convince the party workers.The office of the Congress at Sradhanand Marg bore a deserted look and the senior party leaders, including its spokesperson, were seen discussing the matter. A senior party leader said that the State leaders made last time attempt to convince the central leadership not to drop the programme.From the last fortnight the State leaders were working round the hour to make this programme a success. Now, Gandhi will visit Jharkhand and Bihar next month, said the party sources.While confirming the report, the sources in the New Delhi said that instead Jharkhand, Rahul would be visiting Andhra Pradesh and Chhatisgadh. Gandhi has been touring the country under the discovery of India programme to know the country and its people which his adversaries termed an uncouth mimic of Mahatma Gandhi.According to the plan Rahul had to arrive in Jharkhand on April 23 where he was slated to visit Chaiwasa, Gumla and Khuti. Although the State president of Congress, Pradeep Balmucchu, said the visit programme existed separately and it had nothing to do with the party and organisation. But it is learnt that Rahul had to take stock of the party in the state.Explaining the reason behind the last time change in the programme Alok Kumar Dubey, spokes person, state Congress agreed that it has dampened the spirit of the party workers but it does not mean that the Rahul has no interest in Jharkhand. While indicating the visit of the Prime Minister to the state on April 22 as a possible reason behind the last minute change in the programme of Rahul, he said that there should have been a gap of one month in the visit of the two top party leaders.The visit of PM would indeed enliven the party workers. The effect would maximise when Rahul would visit the state next month. It might have send a wrong signal if the two top leaders visit the state in connection to two different programmes, said a top leader of the party.The highly placed sources gave a different version of the story and said that the State Congress announced the date of the arrival of Rahul on assumption without consulting the central leadership. As per the official version of the party, the party would have to wait for another month for the visit of Rahul who would come after a gap of eight years.