Digvijay plans 6-month stir against 3-month Nitish Govt

Digvijay plans 6-month stir against 3-month Nitish Govt

Amarnath Tewary/ Patna

After Mr Rahul Gandhi's recent thrust to reorganise the Congress and to regain lost glory in Bihar, the State party in-charge and general secretary Digvijay Singh on Tuesday declared that the party would launch an agitation on its own against the NDA Government in the State.

The party general secretary also said that he has suggested his State party leaders to a six-month agitation programme against the failures of the new NDA Government in Bihar.

Mr Singh also stressed that after the last Assembly poll in the State, the social base of the Congress has widened.

In the wake of crushing defeat of the Congress, during the last Assembly poll in the State, the party in-charge of the State put a brave face and declared that the party has all the freedom to chalk out its own plans and programmes without having any support or help from ally partner RJD."We need no help from any quarter to highlight the shortcomings of the NDA Government and launch popular agitation for the welfare of the people on our own," said Mr Singh.

"We've our own distinct political identity and history in the State and there is so need to seek support from any party including the RJD from outside to decide our plans and programmes", stressed party general secretary while addressing State party executives' meeting at party headquarters here.

This was the first meeting of party state executives, after the last poll in which party in-charge Digvijay Singh and all the other important state leaders including state president Sadanand Singh were present.

However, when asked about his opinion on the party's dismal performance in the last Assembly poll, Mr Singh armed with some social facts and figures put up a brave face and said that the party has in fact gained comparatively and it's support base has widened.

"If the last two Bihar Assembly polls are compared (the February 2005 poll and October-November) the Congress performed better in the second, while expanding its social base", he said.

While explaining his claim Mr Singh said that during the February poll in which the Congress was part of 'some messy coalition' and had contested 85 seats out of which on 51its candidates had lost their deposits. However, in the October-November election Congress had fielded it candidates on 51 seats and won on nine while stood second on 35 and lost deposits only on three seats, explained Mr Singh.

"Besides, the social base, even the vote share of the Congress increased during the last Assembly poll and now we'll try our best to expand it further," maintained the former chief minister of Madhya Pradesh.

When quizzed about Congress's future alliance with the RJD in the post-poll era, Mr Singh parried the question saying the party has its own base and political identity in the State.

"It is not necessary for the party to consult the RJD or anyone on its every political programme or plan," he said.

Despite the continuous opposition from the State party leaders to snap ties with the RJD during the Assembly election, Mr Singh had refused to toe the line and defended party's alliance with the RJD.

The party in-charge even had distributed party tickets reportedly on the advice and suggestions of RJD boss Lalu Prasad Yadav.

State party sources said that some organisational changes would also be done to strengthen the party and its base at the grassroots soon.

"In the changed political scenario and atmosphere the State Congress may be given a new look under alchemy of a new chemistry", said a party leader.