New army of the Congress: 13 spokespersons to counter BJP and dissidents as well
Vijay Deo Jha
Ranchi
Why Jharkhand Congress lost the media war against the BJP in the last general elections.
The state Congress came to know the reason exactly after three months of the results of the elections where it lost five out of six parliamentary seats.
It had no effective media wing and spokespersons to sustain and counter the BJP’s blitzkriegs despite having six spokespersons including media head Dr VP Saran, Ravindra Singh, Gulam Sarvar Rizwi, Prabhat Singh, KK Agrawal and Sima Patra.
The party perhaps felt the need of more and more experienced head and authoritative voices to pitch a high octane battle against the BJP. After all election of the state assembly is at sniffing distance and the party can not risk loosing the battle against the BJP once again.
A senior party leader pointed out that while the entire media cell remained a disorganized house during the general election; a couple of leaders besides the state party president Pradeep Balmuchu were left in the battlefield to defend the party.
The Congress probably thought it wise to do this to counter the BJP, the party quite regular in media briefing. The BJP is quite prone to organise press conference and drop bombshell on the Congress at every issue, major or minor.
The seven new faces: the Union Cabinet Minister Subodhkant Sahai, Radhakrishna Kishore, Stephen Marandi, Rajendra Singh, MLA Sukhdeo Bhagat, Niel Tirkey and CLP leader Manoj Yadav.
With this the total number of spokespersons in the party has swelled from six to 13. About their new responsibilities in the party, a party insider said: “They have been authorised to talk to the media over related issue and spell out the policy of the Congress party.
A senior leader and party spokesperson denied that these seven leaders have been inducted in the media cell or were given the designation of party spokesperson.
“But we felt that senior party leaders must be given responsibilities to counter the BJP leaders of similar position and hierarchy…it is applicable in the case of other parties like the JMM and others,” leader said. The idea to bring seniors of the party on the centre stage was mooted by the state party in-charge K Keshav Rao who to make a cohesive group to counter each and every charge of the BJP that has been growing day by day.
Sources in the party said that Rao and state Congress had expressed dissatisfaction over the working of the media cell and the reluctance of the senior party leaders during parliamentary elections. It was urgently felt to appoint heavy weights to interact with the media and voice the stand of the party.
“There is one more reason behind this,” said another party leader. The state unit was really in hurry to make these appointments after the BJP started giving a daily knock to the Governor K Sankaranarayanan, even on flimsy ground.
With this the total number of spokespersons in the party has swelled from six to 13. About their new responsibilities in the party, a party insider said: “They have been authorised to talk to the media over related issue and spell out the policy of the Congress party.
A senior leader and party spokesperson denied that these seven leaders have been inducted in the media cell or were given the designation of party spokesperson.
“But we felt that senior party leaders must be given responsibilities to counter the BJP leaders of similar position and hierarchy…it is applicable in the case of other parties like the JMM and others,” leader said. The idea to bring seniors of the party on the centre stage was mooted by the state party in-charge K Keshav Rao who to make a cohesive group to counter each and every charge of the BJP that has been growing day by day.
Sources in the party said that Rao and state Congress had expressed dissatisfaction over the working of the media cell and the reluctance of the senior party leaders during parliamentary elections. It was urgently felt to appoint heavy weights to interact with the media and voice the stand of the party.
“There is one more reason behind this,” said another party leader. The state unit was really in hurry to make these appointments after the BJP started giving a daily knock to the Governor K Sankaranarayanan, even on flimsy ground.
The Congress plans the battle in the following way. Sahai who till a week back used to speak to the media about party affairs and others—often at the airport or on the sideline of any programme—will take on BJP veteran Yashwant Sinha. The newly inducted Stephen Marandi can be a counter to the JMM. Similarly the JD (U) turncoat Radhakrishna Kishore can be used against both JD (U) and the BJP’s invectives.
But there is indeed a reason quite that remained unstated. “It has been done not only to counter the BJP. There are many within the party who has been airing contradictory voices over party affairs. These seven will marshal and discipline dissidents also,” one among the seven said.
The number 13 sounds quite ominous. Party’s experiment will be visible in the coming days, there are many who marvel at this jumbo setup.
But there is indeed a reason quite that remained unstated. “It has been done not only to counter the BJP. There are many within the party who has been airing contradictory voices over party affairs. These seven will marshal and discipline dissidents also,” one among the seven said.
The number 13 sounds quite ominous. Party’s experiment will be visible in the coming days, there are many who marvel at this jumbo setup.
