NEW DELHI, January 3: Sonia Gandhi is believed to have summoned CWC member Ghulam Nabi Azad today and expressed her displeasure at the nomination of R K Dhawan from New Delhi without consulting her. Sonia is understood to have told Azad to convey her unhappiness to party president Sitaram Kesri.Sources in 10, Janpath, said Sonia apparently indicated that she would prefer to take charge of the party's campaign. Sources said Sonia was "upset" and that she was planning to undertake a far more ambitious campaign programme than was initially planned.
Kesri had rushed through Dhawan's candidature without involving Sonia in an attempt to nullify the chances of his not being chosen once she got involved in the ticket allotment.
The announcement yesterday was met with disapproval at 10, Janpath, and Kesri's move was seen as an affront to Sonia after she agreed to take part in the campaign and organisational matters. Sonia reportedly told Azad that she would like to be informed of the selection of candidates in
future.
This exercise is slated to start from Tuesday when the formal screening of candidates begins.
Though Azad was technically not involved in Dhawan's selection, he had the unhappy task of conveying Sonia's orders to Kesri. Azad is said to have conveyed to Kesri what he was told. Indications are that Kesri, who has anyway said he is too old to run a hectic campaign, might be addressing fewer rallies than Sonia.
This is the first concrete indication from Sonia that she is not averse to leading the party in these "troubled times".
After Azad had his individual meeting with Sonia, he was joined by party vice-president Jitendra Prasada and spokespersons Margaret Alva and Ambika Soni.
It emerged from this meeting that Sonia's tour programme will be finalised in a couple of days.
It is understood that more than 100 meetings are being planned for her across the country. Indications are that Delhi may not be the starting point with pressure growing that she begin from either the South or
Amethi.
The first time relations between Kesri and Sonia soured was with the Mamata Banerjee affair when the former made a statement in Hyderabad at variance with what was worked out by 10, Janpath, between Mamata and West Bengal PCC president Somen Mitra.
Meanwhile, the Indian Youth Congress today appealed to Priyanka Gandhi to accept active membership of Youth Congress and contest the ensuing Lok Sabha polls.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
