Anand Sharma, a senior member of the Congress Working Committee (CWC), has raised objections to the party's Lok Sabha election campaign strategy for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, specifically targeting the focus on a caste-based census.
Sharma's objections, resonating with concerns over a deviation from the party's traditional stance and a perceived disregard for the legacies of former Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, have reverberated throughout the party hierarchy. He described it as a "departure from the historic position and also amounting to disrespecting the legacy of former Congress PMs Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi."
Sharma cited the inclusive approach of the Congress party, recalling popular slogans by Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi. "Na Jaat Par na paat par, Mohar lagegi haath par," Sharma quoted Indira Gandhi's clarion call of 1980. He also referenced Rajiv Gandhi's historic statement as the Opposition leader in the Lok Sabha in 1990, saying, "We have problems if caste is defined to enshrine casteism in our country."
"The Congress can not stand by and watch this nation being divided," Sharma emphasized.
The lack of coordination within the party was hinted at by Sharma, who expressed that broader internal consensus could have been achieved through the participation of District and Pradesh Congress Committees in the consultative process.
Sharma's objection has surprised the party, which has been working to make the caste census a rallying point ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. Rahul Gandhi's campaign slogan "jitni abadi, utna haq" has already faced criticism, termed 'backward and regressive' by political pundits.
Anand Sharma, one of the G-23 leaders who wrote a scathing letter to the then Congress President Sonia Gandhi in 2021, called for sweeping changes in the party's structure and functioning.
Follow us
