Keshav Rao removed from CWC, loses charge of Jharkhand, WB
March 05, Saturday

VIJAY DEO JHA | Ranchi

K Keshav Rao — a story of two triumphs and many failures in Jharkhand, was removed from the good books of Congress president Sonia Gandhi. Rao received a double thwack from Gandhi on Friday. He was not only removed from the post of AICC in-charge of Jharkhand, West Bengal and Andaman and Nicobar, but also from the central Congress working committee.

The Congress has brought its Bihar leader, former union minister and party's national spokesperson Shakil Ahmed to look after the affairs of these three states. The Assembly election of West Bengal is in the offing.

Congress sources speaking to The Pioneer attributed three reasons behind Rao's removal. First: His poor performance in handling faction-ridden Jharkhand Congress and poor performance of the party in the Parliamentary and Assembly elections. Second: His open advocacy for a separate Telangana State that often landed the Congress on a sticky wicket.

But as far as the third reason is concerned - his removal from West Bengal - is open criticism of Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee.

"She was not comfortable with the stand taken by Rao over creation of small states. She had lodged her concern with the party high command that Rao could be easily manoeuvered to support the cause of a separate Gorkhaland in West Bengal," a senior Congress leader said.

But the vital reason behind his removal remained the displeasure of Sonia Gandhi.

Rao was sent to Jharkhand to replace Ajay Maken who was not willing to continue as
Jharkhand Congress in-charge.

Rao at least has two achievements in Jharkhand to count as creditable. He manoeuvered JMM support for Congress' nominee in Rajya Sabha election 2009. Jharkhand was brought under President's rule and the JMM was desperate for Congress' support to form government. Smart politico Rao was quick to encash JMM's desperation and made JMM believe that the government formation exercise could be started only after the JMM supported Congress to win the RS seat. Naïve, JMM happily accepted the deal that ended in a dud when Rao refused to back any such initiative.

He became JMM's enemy number one, officially, and unofficially he earned some foes in his party too, who were desperate like any other JMM leader to form coalition government in Jharkhand.

Stitching an alliance with the Jharkhand Vikash Morcha in view of Jharkhand Assembly election was one of his successful efforts. The alliance produced two binary gains for the party, though small in measure. The Congress effectively used the support base of the JVM to increase its tally from 9 to 14. Clever enough not to give a long rope to the alliance partner in that election, Rao summed up JVM's claim for seats much below the expectations of JVM chief Babulal Marandi.

But then, he could not avoid becoming the pillar of factionalism in the party during and after the election. He was often blamed for maintaining status-quo for state Congress chief Pradeep Balmuchu who has overstayed the fixed tenure.

If he lured some to join the Congress he lost some faithful counts too like KK Agrawal, Alok Pathak, Bhukla Bhagat who openly blamed him and left the party.

Ahmed's appointment has been welcomed by the party. "He is an experienced leader and he is sure to inject fresh blood in the party," Congress leader Alok Dubey said.

After Rao's removal from the state scene, the camp lobbying for a fresh appointment of state Congress chief is feeling emboldened. Congress' fresh script this Friday was enough to cause grief to Rao.