CWC to debate pre-poll alliances on January 7

Even as the Congress struggled to handle dissident activity in two key states ruled by it""Punjab and Kerala""the party simultaneously geared up to supplement its strength by doing deals with other parties opposed to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

To this end, a meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC), it was announced today, would be held on January 7 to firm up alliances with like-minded secular parties as recommended by the Pranab Mukherjee committee.

Mukherjee and other senior leaders analysed the causes of the party's debacle in the recent Assembly elections in the three Hindi heartland states and had recommended alliances with like-minded parties to prevent the splitting of votes.

"The CWC will meet on January 7 to discuss strategies for firming up alliances with like-minded secular parties," party sources said.

The five-member committee was constituted by Congress chief Sonia Gandhi last month to go into reasons of party's electoral reverses while admitting it to be a "setback" ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.

Gandhi had asked the committee to suggest corrective measures to help prepare the party for challenges ahead.

In her endeavour to cobble together an alternative to the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) at the Centre, Gandhi, at a rally in Mumbai on the 118th foundation day of the party on December 27, had said the Congress was prepared for alliance with like-minded parties to take on the "anti-people" BJP.

Gandhi has already held discussions with CPI(M) leader Harkisan Singh Surjeet and talked to DMK chief M Karunanidhi, Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) leader Ramvilas Paswan and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati to explore the possibility of uniting the "secular forces" but no final shape has taken place.

Surjeet had announced that there would be two Opposition fronts, one led by the Congress and the other by the CPI(M).

However, the Congress believes it will be able to avoid competing against other anti-BJP parties through a pre-poll alliance.

How this will work out is uncertain. The LJP and the BSP cannot not coexist in the same camp because they have the same Dalit vote base. However, the LJP is a powerful presence in Bihar and is being actively wooed by the NDA combine as well.

Similarly, while the DMK views the CPI(M) as a natural ally in Tamil Nadu despite the latter's tiny presence in the state, it is hard to understand how, on the ground, the party will become an ally of the Congress and enter into a seat-sharing formula.

The internal problems of the Congress refuse to go away. Dissident legislators from Punjab continued to camp in Delhi and were interviewed today by Mukherjee and other leaders to figure out whether a change of chief minister was better for the health of the Congress government in Punjab or keeping in view the Lok Sabha elections, it would be advisable not to reshuffle chief ministers.

Before the discussions started the dissidents appeared to have toned down their stance, possibly because they felt they had got the legitimacy of the high command, with their leader Rajinder Kaur Bhattal saying, "Chief Minister Amarinder Singh had made some mistakes. However, he has addressed many of our complaints".

When asked if the dissidents were still insistent on their demand of change of leadership she said: "We are all committed Congressmen and we will abide by whatever decision the party high command takes."