Forget the New, Cong Turns to Old Guard in Poll-Bound UP, Punjab

Congress party has brought in Kamal Nath & Ghulam Nabi Azad in poll-bound Punjab & UP. The Quint examines why.

The major Congress reshuffle seems to have finally begun.

Seasoned Congress leaders Kamal Nath and Ghulam Nabi Azad have been named general secretaries in-charge of poll bound Punjab and Uttar Pradesh respectively. Nath has also been given additional charge of Haryana where the party is in dire straits.

While Nath replaces political lightweight Shakeel Ahmad, Azad has been brought in place of Madhusudan Mistry who will still continue to remain the CEC in-charge. Azad has been in-charge of the Congress in UP twice before, but Nath’s elevation comes as a surprise to many, especially given his alleged role in the 1984 riots. While the Congress is in the middle of fresh storm over the appointment, the party is sticking to its guns.

Read: AAP Says Congress ‘Rewarding’ Kamal Nath for Role in 1984 Riots

Why Kamal Nath?

1. Political Warhorse

Kamal Nath, nine-time Lok Sabha member from Chindwara in Madhya Pradesh is Congress’ oldest and most trusted warhorse. Nath has managed to retain power in his bastion in Madhya Pradesh since 1980 (except 1996 by-poll) making him the party’s most senior member in Lok Sabha. Previously in-charge of West Bengal and Gujarat, Nath knows the nuts and bolts of electioneering and party sources say he is likely to be the Congress’ CM face in the Madhya Pradesh elections of 2018.

2. No Indictment For 1984

Notwithstanding the backlash to Kamal Nath’s elevation, the Congress maintains that Nath was exonerated by the Nanavati Commission and that there is no evidence against him in the 1984 riots. The Congress has dismissed the outrage as a ‘smear campaign’ and sources say there is no question of reversing the party stand.

3. The Haryana Emergency

It almost appears that the party is headed for a split in Haryana. Nath’s appointment comes just a day after the party faced a huge setback in the Haryana Rajya Sabha elections when 14 party MLAs cross-voted, leading to the defeat of party-backed Independent candidate RK Anand.

Azad’s Return to UP

1. UP Veteran

Azad is Congress’ oldest and most trusted election war veteran. Known for getting things done, Azad has been Congress’ UP in-charge twice before, and has closely worked on the party’s Bihar campaign with the grand alliance recently. Sources say that poll strategist Prashant Kishor was not very comfortable working with Mistry and that could be another reason for the change. But sources say Mistry was taken into confidence by the party leadership before the decision and will continue to head the CEC.

2. The Minority Factor

By deputing one of the party’s senior most Muslim faces in UP, the Congress, it seems, is playing by the book. The Muslim vote closely contested by the Samajwadi Party and the Congress, could very well determine their political fortunes.

Congress Turns to the Old

The talk of Rahul Gandhi’s elevation hasn’t inspired much confidence within the Congress quarters. The Congress has seen an exodus of sorts since 2014. Jayanthi Natarajan, Ajit Jogi, GK Vasan, Hemanta Biswa Sarma were some of the early departures. The most recent being Congress Gujarat & Rajasthan in-charge Gurudas Kamat. After losing ground in Assam, the turmoil in Arunachal and the recent Haryana deflection shocker, it appears that the Congress has turned to its old guard in desperation.

Kamal Nath and Ghulam Nabi Azad are seasoned politicians with a deep understanding of electoral politics. This kind of experience is needed to recapture the sensitive states of Punjab & UP. The leaders will work closely with the state leadership and strategist Prashant Kishor. 

Sanjay Jha, Congress Spokesperson 

Whether this tactical move will pay remains to be seen. For now, the Congress’ political opponents in Punjab are having a field day, drawing the 1984 card against Kamal Nath. However, senior journalist Neerja Choudhary seems to think the party is on the right track.

When you have your back against the wall, you need all the experience you can get. Things couldn’t be worse for the Congress and they need the sensible and seasoned to lead. The party is facing a virtual erosion in all of its bastions and this seems the way forward.

Neerja Choudhary, Senior Journalist