Kesri told to handle Prasada with kid gloves

The Congress's Uttar Pradesh unit could be in turmoil if party vice-president Jitendra Prasada's supremacy is challenged.

Submitting a preliminary report to this effect, Congress general secretary Tariq Anwar seems to have drilled caution into party president Sitaram Kesri's designs of clipping Prasada's wings in the state. Kesri intends to appoint a new state party president.

Wielding considerable clout in the state, Prasada has been trying to tighten his grip over the cadres. As a result, he may resist the high command's plan to undermine his position.

Disclosing the contents of the report, party officials close to Anwar said Kesri recently impressed upon some UP Congressmen the urgency of appointing a state party chief.

Reacting to this, Prasada seems to have said the issue could be settled by holding an election. ''This was an oblique reference to his own standing in the state,'' the officials pointed out.

Far from amused with Prasada's efforts in portraying himself as the state's undisputed Congress leader, Kesri has been trying to put up a rival Congressman to challenge the party vice-president.

Significantly, Kesri held a meeting with senior party leader Narain Dutt Tiwari earlier this week after summoning him from Canada. While it is not known what transpired at the meeting, officials claim the two leaders discussed the feasibility of forging an alliance with the Samajwadi Party.

The Kesri-Tiwari meeting seems to have infuriated Prasada, and he seems to have stepped his campaign. In fact, the party vice-president asked his confidant Pramod Tewari to be ready for a battle, according to the report.

In an apparent counter-move, Anwar has suggested that other state party leaders like Naresh Aggarwal should be encouraged to fight Prasada.

Despite such a grave scenario, the issue may not figure at Saturday's Congress Working Committee meeting which is expected to devote much time to the Gujarat situation.

EARLIER REPORT:
Kesri meets Tiwari, plans to fix Prasada