Sonia Gandhi removes Digvijay Singh as party in charge of Karnataka, Goa
NEW DELHI : Digvijay Singh, the long-standing Gandhi family loyalist, was on Saturday removed as the party’s general secretary incharge of Karnataka and Goa.The development follows Congress’ failure to form its government in Goa despite having emerged as the single largest party in the assembly election this February.
The decision comes nearly a month after the Congress failed to form a government in Goa despite emerging as the single largest party, commissioning biting criticism of Mr Singh from his colleagues and ridicule from opponents. He has been replaced in Goa by A Chellakumar and Lok Sabha member KC Venugopal in Karnataka.
“Congress president Sonia Gandhi has assigned the tasks of looking after Karnataka and Goa affairs to new AICC teams. While KC Venugopal has been made general secretary in-charge of Karnataka, A Chellakumar has been made AICC in-charge of Goa,” party general secretary Janaradan Dwivedi said in a statement.
In elections held in February, the Congress managed to win 17 of the total 40 seats in Goa. However, as it took too long to make up its mind on post-poll alliances, the BJP quickly stitched up partnerships with regional parties and formed the government under former Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar.
In his farewell speech in the Rajya Sabha last month, Mr Parrikar took a jibe at Mr Singh and said, “My special thanks to honourable member Digvijaya Singh, who happened to be in Goa but did nothing so that I could form the government.”The Congress’ inability to form the government in Goa also led to the resignation of Vishwajit Rane – who was seen as a possible Chief Ministerial candidate in Goa – from the party. Mr Rane, now a BJP member, openly criticised Mr Singh and accused him of “mismanagement”
The party had clinched 17 seats in the 40-member legislature, four more than the BJP, which managed to cobble together a majority with local parties to form its government under Manohar Parrikar.Singh, considered close to Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, had come under severe criticism for going slow in initiating talks with smaller parties to sew up a coalition and stake claim to form a Congress-led government.
The former chief minister of Madhya Pradesh will, however, continue as general secretary incharge of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.”Congress president Sonia Gandhi has assigned the tasks of looking after Karnataka and Goa affairs to new AICC teams. While K C Venugopal has been made general secretary incharge of Karnataka, A Chella Kumar has been made AICC incharge of Goa,” party general secretary Janaradan Dwivedi said in a statement.
Singh has been one of the most vocal Congressmen advocating Rahul Gandhi’s elevation as party president. After the Goa debacle, Singh had accused Parrikar of having cheated the people of the state by “robbing the mandate”. He had alleged Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, who was despatched to Panaji by BJP president Amit Shah to explore ways of forming a government, indulged in “aggressive MLA shopping” to retain power.
Parrikar had shot back and taunted Singh for Congress’ failure to form government.”My special thanks to honourable member Digvijay Singh, who happened to be in Goa but did nothing so that I could form the government,” Parrikar had told Rajya Sabha while making sarcastic comments against Singh.
