Subhas Chandra Pattanayak
With resignation of AICC member-in-charge B. K. Hariprasad (BKH) after debacle of the Congress Party in Panchayat elections in Orissa, its legislative wing heavyweights have started calling out for resignation of PCC President Sri Prasad Harichandan, against whom they are seemingly in conspiracy since long.
Prasad has rightly refused to oblige them and in that, he has shown praiseworthy patience as a responsible leader committed to his Party.
In a sense, BKH could be responsible for the debacle of the party; because he had probably not informed the party high command of the demoralizing effect of the activities of the legislative wing on party organization.
The legislative wing was acting as a body, independent of the Party leadership, whereas no disciplinary steps were taken against the leadership of this wing. It had pushed the workers and supporters of the party into utter confusion. And, resultantly, the party has suffered.
An analysis of reactions in social media strongly suggests that the thinking people of Orissa are obviously unhappy with emergence of BJP as more acceptable than Congress in the State, though they are utmost happy over the debacle of BJD.
It means, the Congress has every possibility of getting back the public support, as Orissa has started to reject and shall continue to reject the party of the sycophants of Naveen Patnaik. But this depends upon imposition of discipline on its legislative wing and teaching this wing that it has to work under the party leadership, not independently. If the over-ambitious elements of this wing would leave the party, let that happen.
The issue is not personal at all; and should never be.
Whether or not the Legislative/Parliamentary wing of a political party is subservient to organizational leadership of the party is the issue that seems most calling at the moment.