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Surveys galore in poll-bound Bihar
The Congress appears to be grappling with a 'problem of plenty' over election surveys in poll-bound Bihar. While survey teams led by master strategist Sunil Kanugolu are already at work, Congress Bihar in-charge Krishna Allavaru has deployed another team to conduct a door-to-door survey to gauge public sentiment on the selection of candidates and other campaign-related decisions.
Congress insiders attribute it to the friction between Kanugolu and Allavaru. It is no secret that the two leaders enjoy proximity to the top brass. Both survey findings are to be presented to the Congress High Command for a final decision on candidate selection and other issues. However, there is internal disquiet among some ranks that poll surveys have become a profitable business for leaders and that the AICC is spending a considerable amount of funds beyond what is necessary for effective monitoring and oversight.
Minority outreach hiccups
Congress looks to be struggling to maintain internal cohesion as it attempts to weave an effective minority outreach strategy in poll-bound Bihar. A meeting of the Muslim leaders from Bihar and Delhi last week ran into rough weather when several members questioned the party's strategy for Muslims and selection of the right candidates. Chaired by AICC minority department chief Imran Pratapgarhi, the meeting at the party's new headquarters, Indira Bhawan, drew nearly 40 leaders in attendance. Seventeen percent of Bihar's population is Muslim.
A senior leader, a JNU alumnus, pointed out that a sitting MLA, the only Kulhaiya Muslim from the Seemanchal region, had not been invited to the meeting. Some members also alleged that there are efforts to replace this MLA with another close to CLP leader, Shakeel Ahmad Khan. The Seemanchal region, with a 47 percent Muslim population, comprises 24 assembly seats. 'If the party cannot do justice to its Muslim leaders, how will it gain the confidence of the community?' asked a leader.
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