From Jal Khambata

NEW DELHI: The revolt brewing against Congress President Sonia
Gandhi further intensified on Wednesday with former Union
Minister Madhavsinh Solanki joining the ranks of the detractors
accusing her of playing in the hands of a coterie and taking the
party down the hill.

Solanki, who is upset at the denial of renomination to the Rajya
Sabha to accommodate Raju Parmar from Gujarat at the instance of
AICC treasurer Ahmed Patel, shot off an angry letter to Sonia
Gandhi pointing out how she has been taking wrong decisions at
every step.

Though he refused to say anything about the letter when
approached, he is believed to have found fault with Sonia Gandhi
on four counts as claimed by some of the senior Congress leaders
whom he circulated his letter. These are:

-- The way the Congress is pursing a confused economic policy,
a public impression is gaining ground that the party is not
pro-poor;

-- The Congress stand on secularism is OK but the way it is
being played up, the majority Hindu community feels hurt;

-- Appointments of the party office-bearers and selection of
candidates is giving an impression that she is acting at the
benest of someone's advice, more so since those being appointed
do not keep good rapport with party workers; and

-- No programme has yet been given to the youngsters in the
Congress and hence they are slowly deviating away from the
party.

Meanwhile, the detractors got shot in arm as the news came of
defeat of two Congress candidates in the Rajya Sabha elections
-- one in Uttar Pradesh and another in West Bengal. They pointed
out that the committed Congressmen were already feeling
neglected the way the Rajya Sabha ticket were given to the
outsiders.

Interestingly, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijay Singh
became active to come out openly in support of Sonia Gandhi even
while still being in Netherland as he got a statement issued on
his behalf in Delhi affirming that it was wrong for the
Congresmen accusing her for anything that has gone wrong.

Claiming that all decisions are taken by the Congress Working
Committee and not by Sonia Gandhi, Digvijay Singh said the party
leaders should use the party forums to air their grievances
instead of rushing to the Press as it only further damaged the
party's cause. END.
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