Balmuchu’s extension runs in crisis

VIJAY DEO JHA

RANCHI

State Congress in crisis is everyday’s story unceasingly told and written. But the crisis this time is more confounded with state party unit developing a dangerous fault-line over community issue following the decision of Central Congress leadership to continue Pradeep Balmuchu as state president for another one year. The announcement made on Friday angered scores of party leaders who privately told that Balmuchu belonging to a particular religious community was the only merit that helped him to continue on this post.

It is despite majority of state leaders and workers, in the past, rose to rebellion against his style of functioning with countless numbers of petitions sent to the central leadership pointing his failed leadership in the past six years.

“It is not because we failed to convince central leadership. Delhi is aware of the way Balmuchu messed the party, electorally and organizationally. It is a very motivated kind of decision that is not going to motivate the party,” a senior party leader angrily said. Sources in the party confided that Balmuchu has the support of powerful Christian lobby in Ranchi and Delhi. Name AICC general secretary, Oscar Fernandes; they will quickly refer you quite popular buzz in the party, “Oscar kaa haath Bablmuchu ke saath, (Oscar who hands protects Balmuchu),” to refer the kind of support Balmuchu has been enjoying.

“We had met Oscar sahib last time to apprise him about the condition the party has faced during the tenure of Balmuchu. He had promised us a change in a week…a new president for state unit he had assured. We were fooled. We feel cheated,” a senior Muslim leader of the party said.

A miffed display of displeasure may not wait for a long to turn into an open rebellion as another prominent Muslim leader cautioned. “We are assembling on November 15 during co-ordination committee meeting in Ranchi. We will not remain silent. We will lodge our protest. Private and sectarian interest have been given precedence over composite nature of the Congress,” the leader said. Though, top Muslim faces of the party —former Godda MP Furkan Ansari, former Pakur MLA Alamgir Alam and Gandey MLA Sarfaraz Ahmed—tactically remained silent but they are believed to be representing disgruntled group.

Disgruntled leaders said that the continuation of Balmuchu will further alienate Muslims and Saran tribals from the party.

“The state party had authorized national president Sonia Gandhi to take a decision over appointment of state president. I can’t comment over the merit of the decision,” Alam said. Nevertheless, Central Congress leadership snubbed the controversy saying that state president post is not a kind of permanent kind of thing and Balmuchu has given extension for a year, no more. So was a party leader supposed to be close to Balmuchu who said that the central leadership took the decision to end any confusion among the party workers at a time when the schedules of the Mandu assembly by-election has been announced.

Some of the party insiders questioned the very rationale. “Central leadership many times promised to change him during and after parliamentary and assembly elections. Nothing happened,” one said. Balmuchu finally resigned after Jamshedpur debacle and the central leadership remained tightlipped to relieve him finally. In a badly divided state Congress, central leadership, probably, faced the problem in choosing a president one who could be acceptable to all. For time being it decided to keep Balmuchu and let controversy goes on.