Rajasthan Congress Eats Its Own
Total Views |
Jaipur, September 03: The Congress in Rajasthan appears to be fighting its own battles with increasing ferocity. The latest flashpoint is Bikaner, where Congress city president and former IPS officer Madan Gopal Meghwal was allegedly assaulted by party workers, exposing yet again the deepening factionalism within the Opposition party.
The reported assault took place amid tensions over ticket distribution for the upcoming urban local body elections. Meghwal was allegedly confronted by disgruntled party workers during a programme, with the confrontation turning physical. Videos of the incident have circulated widely, adding to the embarrassment for the state Congress leadership.
The Bikaner episode is not an isolated quarrel. Across Rajasthan, ticket distribution has triggered resentment among Congress leaders and aspirants. Reports of disagreements in Bhilwara, Jaipur, Kota and Ajmer have highlighted allegations of favouritism, competing factions and dissatisfaction over candidate selection.
In Bhilwara, internal differences reportedly resulted in a heated confrontation between senior Congress leaders Ramlal Jat and Dheeraj Gurjar over tickets. Such public disputes suggest that the party's electoral machinery is struggling to maintain even basic discipline.
ALSO READ: Rehabilitation of surrendered Maoists is welcome but caution must not be abandoned
The roots of Rajasthan Congress' problem run deeper. The bitter Ashok Gehlot-Sachin Pilot rivalry had repeatedly threatened the party's unity, most dramatically during the 2020 rebellion. The 2022 leadership crisis further exposed the inability of the party's central leadership to impose an orderly succession.
The irony is difficult to miss. A party preparing to challenge the BJP is spending precious political capital fighting itself.