Cong needs full-time chief, says Sena;claims party's old guard in secret pact with BJP to stop Rahul
Mumbai, Oct 1: The Shiv Sena on Friday called for the need to appoint a full-time Congress president, and said the confusion prevailing over the leadership in the party was as much responsible for the political crisis in Punjab as the BJP.
The Sena also claimed that although Rahul Gandhi was trying to resolve the issues faced by the Congress, the old-timers in the party were in a secret pact with the BJP to stop him from doing so with the aim of sinking the party.
"Congress needs a full-time president. What is the use of a body without a head?...Congress is ailing and it is being treated, but whether that treatment is right or not needs to be reviewed," the party said in an editorial in its mouthpiece Saamana'.
"Rahul Gandhi is trying to fix the leakages in the old mansion (Congress), but some old feudal lords are not letting the new people work. They have started claiming ownership over several things in the mansion It is now confirmed that the party's old guard is in a secret pact with BJP and they are trying to sink Congress," it alleged.
But if there is no commander, how will the party fight? This demand of some wise Congress veterans is not wrong. The answer to this question over leadership question is the Gandhi family, but who exactly from among them is a question that persists, said the Uddhav Thackeray-led party, which shares power in Maharashtra with Congress and NCP.
The doubt and confusion over the leadership in Congress needs to be cleared, it added.
Rahul Gandhi has taken a strong step by appointing a Dalit leader as the chief minister of Punjab, but his own dear Navjot Singh Sidhu has created problems for him. As there was already no dearth of leaders in Congress who shoot their mouths off, there was no need for Rahul Gandhi to show so much trust in Sidhu, who joined the party recently, the Sena said.
Congress has increased its own troubles by giving undue importance to this unpredictable leader, it added.
Criticising former Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh and also Goa's ex-CM Luizinho Faleiro, who has now joined the Trinamool Congress (TMC), the Sena said, "It is the height of their thick-skinned behaviour. These leaders were given top posts, like chief minister of their respective states by the Congress, but they are now leaving the party."
Similarly, Jitin Prasada was made a union cabinet minister when Congress was in power. However, he joined BJP later and made a minister in the party-led UP government, it said.
Congress has been in power for many years in the country and presently ruling in some states. However, the party has been facing problems after the BJP came to power and Narendra Modi became the prime minister, the Sena said.
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Vijay unable to prove majority, not invited for CM oath ceremony: Sources
Chennai: Actor-politician Vijay has reportedly not been invited to take oath as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu after failing to demonstrate support from the required number of MLAs, sources in Raj Bhavan said.
According to media reports that quoted sources in the office of R.N. Ravi Arlekar, Vijay could not prove the backing of 118 legislators, the majority mark in the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly.
Despite last-minute efforts to secure support from the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazagam (AMMK), and an IUML legislator, Vijay reportedly managed support from only 116 MLAs, falling short by two members.
Sources said Vijay failed to submit letters of support from the VCK and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML).
Later, the IUML issued a statement clarifying that it was not part of the TVK-led alliance.
Meanwhile, AMMK leader T.T.V. Dhinakaran is also said to have informed the Governor that his party would support the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) instead.
Earlier in the evening, Vijay had met Governor Arlekar and staked claim to form the government, stating that he enjoyed the support of 118 MLAs.
