PCC postings, a warning to rebels

By Rajesh Ahuja

CHANDIGARH, JUNE 24. With the announcement of a new Executive body of the Chandigarh unit of the Congress, a clear message seems to have been conveyed to the `rebel' AICC member and former Union Minister, Mr. Harmohan Dhawan, that it would be in his best interest to voluntarily quit the party which he had joined two years ago.

Interestingly, not a single delegate belonging to the Dhawan faction has been included in the new body which is loaded with supporters of the local MP, Mr. Pawan Kumar Bansal, and the former Union Minister, Mr. Venod Sharma. Most of Mr. Dhawan's supporters who had been elected delegates have already been expelled or suspended for their anti-party activities, including the formation of a `apolitical' Chandigarh Vikas Manch which has been seriously viewed by the Party High Command.

In fact, the president of the local unit, Mr. B.B. Bahl, has already apprised the High Command about the situation and sought disciplinary action against Mr. Dhawan himself.

It is significant that the former Indian Youth Congress president, Mr. Manish Tewari, who, it was being claimed by the Dhawan faction, had joined hands with Mr. Dhawan, has managed to get a berth for his nominee, Mr. Chandermukhi Sharma, in the new body.

The war of attrition between the Dhawan group and other factions had reached a crescendo after Mr. Bansal and Mr. Venod Sharma, decided to bury their hatchet and work in complete unity. Mr. Dhawan, who was finding himself isolated in party affairs, floated the Chandigarh Vikas Manch to launch a virtual `jehad' against the Congress in the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation and the Party's Mayor.

After having taken the High Command into confidence, the party machinery acted swiftly and expelled four of Mr. Dhawan's men in the first installment and another delegate after a fracas during the visit of the AICC Treasurer, Mr. Moti Lal Vora, to the `City Beautiful' when party flags were reportedly thrown at him by supporters of Mr. Dhawan.

Political observers feel that Mr. Venod Sharma, who had resigned as president of the CTCC in 1999, seems to have managed to get due share for his men in the new executive. Moreover, it is being said that the new executive has been constituted after much deliberations to accommodate the key leaders and their supporters while maintaining a balance especially in view of the forthcoming civic poll.

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