Balmuchu’s battle for survival - State Congress chief targets Shakeel Ahmed

VIJAY DEO JHA

Ranchi, May 11: The cold war between Pradeep Balmuchu and Shakeel Ahmed, two leaders central to the Congress’s fortunes in Jharkhand, has now turned into a shadow boxing match with both leaders trying to out-manoeuvre each other under the watchful eyes of Delhi. Balmuchu, in a last-ditch effort to stay on as state party chief, is banking on a tribal rally he proposes to hold in Ranchi on May 19 with Rahul Gandhi in attendance. Ahmed on the other hand is using all his powers as Delhi’s pointsman looking after party affairs in Jharkhand to convince anyone who is willing to listen that Balmuchu must go. The duo has never really seen eye to eye. But, it seems the gloves are off now. So keen is Balmuchu to have Rahul Gandhi, he has already changed the rally dates thrice — from May 4, 11 and 18 — to accommodate his schedule. He is now using his best contacts in the national capital — Union rural development minister Jairam Ramesh is among them — to ensure Rahul’s presence, but according to those who are close to the Gandhi scion, he is not going to be available for the May 19 show as well. This apart, Balmuchu is also trying his best to have Ahmed replaced as the Congress’s Jharkhand in-charge. In fact, a lobby within the state party, spearheaded by Balmuchu and Dhiraj Sahu, is pushing for Ramesh to be made the man in charge, hoping to time their campaign alongside a reshuffle of the central party administration now that Karnataka has swung back to the Congress fold. But Ahmed sounded sceptical of any change at the top now. “There may or may not be such a move now,” he said. “There may be some people who may not like my style of functioning. I am a man of the organisation. Jahan party mujhe lagayegi wahan jayenge (I will fit in wherever the party shifts me).” A Congress office-bearer also dismissed suggestions that Ahmed’s job was under threat. “It is a six months’ old move. Balmuchu wants a favourable man. Ahmed doesn’t fit into his scheme of things because he knows where the problems lie. Balmuchu never arranges any public programme for him. Ahmed is a serious worker of the party,” he explained. Last month, a group of pro-Balmuchu Congressmen in Delhi had nearly succeeded in convincing the central leadership about sending Ahmed to Bihar to counter RJD’s Lalu Prasad. But Ahmed wasn’t interested. As national spokesperson for the Congress, Ahmed holds charge of Bengal, Andman & Nikobar, besides Jharkhand. During the last two years, Ahmed has won the appreciation of the party rank and file here for his down to earth nature who is loath to promote factionalism. Balmuchu’s dislike for Ahmed is perhaps understandable. Last year, after his visit to Jharkhand, Rahul Gandhi asked him to speak to the party rank and file and furnish a report on the reasons behind the Congress’s electoral failure in Jharkhand. Ahmed’s report went against Balmuchu, and rightly so. Balmuchu wanted to form a new team last year. Ahmed put his foot down, saying that only the central party leadership could take such a call. He even opposed Balmuchcu’s move to appoint loyalists like Keshav Mahato Kamlesh, Kalipad Soren, Nita Devi and Madan Mohan Sharma as chiefs of boards/corporations after President’s Rule was imposed.