In a significant blow to the Congress party’s stronghold in Rajasthan, a mass exodus of 400 party workers from its membership rattled its leadership just ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. The unprecedented resignation occurred on Friday, April 12, amidst mounting discontent over the party’s decision to form an alliance with the Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP) for the Nagaur Lok Sabha seat. Congress leader Tejpal Mirdha convened a press conference to elucidate the rationale behind this collective resignation.
The alliance with the RLP, which resulted in vacating the Nagaur Lok Sabha seat for the RLP’s nominee, Hanuman Beniwal, stirred widespread dissent within the Congress ranks. The turmoil escalated following the suspension of three prominent Congress leaders for six years.
The suspension stemmed from allegations lodged by Beniwal accusing the leaders of actively campaigning in support of BJP candidate Jyoti Mirdha in Nagaur. Among the suspended figures were former MLA Bhararam, Tejpal Mirdha, Chairperson of Kuchera Municipality, and Sukharam Dodwadiya. Reacting to their suspension, the trio tendered their resignations from the Congress party in protest.
During the press conference on Friday, Tejpal Mirdha articulated the grievances of the dissident party workers, stating, “Congress exhibited formidable strength in Nagaur during the Assembly polls, securing victory in four out of eight seats. Similarly, its position in the Lok Sabha polls was equally robust. Despite this, the decision to ally with the RLP raises pertinent questions.”
Mirdha continued, lambasting Hanuman Beniwal as a divisive force intent on dismantling Congress’s presence in Nagaur. He emphasised the shock and dismay felt by Congress workers over the alliance with Beniwal, labelling him as an adversary. Mirdha underscored the lack of consultation with the local Congress state unit, asserting that the alliance was unilaterally imposed by the Congress high command.
Expressing disillusionment with the current state of affairs within the party, Mirdha lamented the dilution of democratic processes within Congress, remarking, “The party’s autonomy has been compromised, with decisions made unilaterally by a select few. This autocratic approach is eroding the very foundation of Congress in Rajasthan.”
With the impending Lok Sabha elections scheduled in two phases on April 19 and 26, the resignation of 400 party workers underscores the simmering discontent within the Congress party’s ranks. As Nagaur gears up for polling in the initial phase on April 19, the fallout from this internal strife may have profound implications for Congress’s electoral prospects in Rajasthan.
