03-23-2006, 11:02 PM
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Clowning glory at 10 Janpath </b>
Rajesh Kumar / New Delhi
In Congress president Sonia Gandhi's renunciation, the party leaders have smelt the opportunity for personal redemption. Not surprising then that <b>among the first prominent leader to arrive at Akbar Road office was Outer Delhi MP Sajjan Kumar</b>.
Under fire for his alleged involvement in the Sikh pogrom, <b>Mr Kumar was quick to clamber onto a Scorpio jeep and shout, "Bahri Dilli se aayi awaaz, Sonia Gandhi Zindabad. Delhi Congress ki pukar, Sonia Gandhi Zindabad."</b>
The scenes outside 10 Janpath on Thursday were similar to those the Congress workers have enacted with certain religiosity whenever their leader has taken the path of 'renunciation'. The first such instance was the week-long relays of hunger strikes and dharnas, when Mr Sharad Pawar had challenged her authority. Two years back, when she had decided not to don the mantle of prime ministership, similar histrionics were on display, with neo-convert Congress MP Ganga Charan Rajput starring in a lead role. He even fired in the air.
Given the instant fame television cameras have provided groveling loyalists outside 10 Janpath, a Sonia-sacrifice has become a sure sign of traffic jam on Akbar Road. On Thursday evening too, Congressmen in starched khadi drove down in their snazzy cars to be one with the first family of the party in their latest hour of crisis.
On Thursday, however angry Congressmen and breast-beating women, found it difficult to articulate their angst. <b>It all started with their favourite whipping boys - AB Vajpayee and LK Advani. The Youth Congress and the students' wing NSUI workers were quick to denounce the 'communal forces' and burn pictures of the two BJP leaders. When somebody pointed out the duo could not really be blamed for the present crisis, they were quick to retort, "The two in connivance with Amar Singh were always plotting against our leader, who has made one sacrifice after another."</b>
<b>"Sonia ko lana hai, desh Bachana hai, Soniaji Sangharsh karo hum tumhare saath hai," rent air.</b> One difference this time was that the leaders, who kept trooping in and out of the Congress headquarters, instead of addressing the workers, found it more opportune to give bytes to the camera brigade. <b>"The point is more effectively made on the camera as the byte keeps getting repeated and has countrywide effect," confided AICC secretary and Delhi MLA Jai Kishen</b>, as he promptly directed his supporters on phone to land up at 10 Janpath.<b> "But don't forget to bring the banners of the local Congress unit."</b>
Another Delhi MP and former NRI Minister Jagdish Tytler explained Ms Gandhi's decision in his own inimitable style. "<b>Ms Gandhi has taken a decision with her own conscience and nobody can dictate her. She has unequalled wisdom and knows what is best for the party and the country,"</b> articulated Mr Tytler in ardent adulation for the party president.
Given Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit's absence, as she is away in Melbourne, her MP son Sandeep Dikshit was quick to arrive on the scene. He, too, did his part of bidding for his leader, lest her mother's detractors raise a finger. <b>The dissidents of Delhi Congress, too, were present in full strength though their leader Rambabu Sharma was away in Mumbai.</b>
Delhi Khadi Board chief Mukesh Sharma and <b>Nasir Pur MLA Mahabal Mishra were quick to order Bhel Puri for the workers. "Khai jao, Sonia Zindabad ke nare lagae jao." Crates of mineral water followed to quench the thirst of sloganeering workers.</b>
 <!--emo&
--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo-->
However, in the midst of all this, every leader had a query - will all this lead to general election. Will the party manage to stage a comeback? Nobody was confident enough to reply.
<b>After about four hours of slogan-shouting, Ms Gandhi finally decided to come out and give a darshan to her admirers. She came out and stood on the footboard of a Tata Safari, waved her hands at the workers, smiled and left before the awe of her presence could register. "She looked in good form and we are sure she would turn the tide in her favour," </b>quipped her admirers as they left to return faithfully the next day.
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd--> <!--emo&:cool--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/specool.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='specool.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Rajesh Kumar / New Delhi
In Congress president Sonia Gandhi's renunciation, the party leaders have smelt the opportunity for personal redemption. Not surprising then that <b>among the first prominent leader to arrive at Akbar Road office was Outer Delhi MP Sajjan Kumar</b>.
Under fire for his alleged involvement in the Sikh pogrom, <b>Mr Kumar was quick to clamber onto a Scorpio jeep and shout, "Bahri Dilli se aayi awaaz, Sonia Gandhi Zindabad. Delhi Congress ki pukar, Sonia Gandhi Zindabad."</b>
The scenes outside 10 Janpath on Thursday were similar to those the Congress workers have enacted with certain religiosity whenever their leader has taken the path of 'renunciation'. The first such instance was the week-long relays of hunger strikes and dharnas, when Mr Sharad Pawar had challenged her authority. Two years back, when she had decided not to don the mantle of prime ministership, similar histrionics were on display, with neo-convert Congress MP Ganga Charan Rajput starring in a lead role. He even fired in the air.
Given the instant fame television cameras have provided groveling loyalists outside 10 Janpath, a Sonia-sacrifice has become a sure sign of traffic jam on Akbar Road. On Thursday evening too, Congressmen in starched khadi drove down in their snazzy cars to be one with the first family of the party in their latest hour of crisis.
On Thursday, however angry Congressmen and breast-beating women, found it difficult to articulate their angst. <b>It all started with their favourite whipping boys - AB Vajpayee and LK Advani. The Youth Congress and the students' wing NSUI workers were quick to denounce the 'communal forces' and burn pictures of the two BJP leaders. When somebody pointed out the duo could not really be blamed for the present crisis, they were quick to retort, "The two in connivance with Amar Singh were always plotting against our leader, who has made one sacrifice after another."</b>
<b>"Sonia ko lana hai, desh Bachana hai, Soniaji Sangharsh karo hum tumhare saath hai," rent air.</b> One difference this time was that the leaders, who kept trooping in and out of the Congress headquarters, instead of addressing the workers, found it more opportune to give bytes to the camera brigade. <b>"The point is more effectively made on the camera as the byte keeps getting repeated and has countrywide effect," confided AICC secretary and Delhi MLA Jai Kishen</b>, as he promptly directed his supporters on phone to land up at 10 Janpath.<b> "But don't forget to bring the banners of the local Congress unit."</b>
Another Delhi MP and former NRI Minister Jagdish Tytler explained Ms Gandhi's decision in his own inimitable style. "<b>Ms Gandhi has taken a decision with her own conscience and nobody can dictate her. She has unequalled wisdom and knows what is best for the party and the country,"</b> articulated Mr Tytler in ardent adulation for the party president.
Given Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit's absence, as she is away in Melbourne, her MP son Sandeep Dikshit was quick to arrive on the scene. He, too, did his part of bidding for his leader, lest her mother's detractors raise a finger. <b>The dissidents of Delhi Congress, too, were present in full strength though their leader Rambabu Sharma was away in Mumbai.</b>
Delhi Khadi Board chief Mukesh Sharma and <b>Nasir Pur MLA Mahabal Mishra were quick to order Bhel Puri for the workers. "Khai jao, Sonia Zindabad ke nare lagae jao." Crates of mineral water followed to quench the thirst of sloganeering workers.</b>
 <!--emo&
--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo--> However, in the midst of all this, every leader had a query - will all this lead to general election. Will the party manage to stage a comeback? Nobody was confident enough to reply.
<b>After about four hours of slogan-shouting, Ms Gandhi finally decided to come out and give a darshan to her admirers. She came out and stood on the footboard of a Tata Safari, waved her hands at the workers, smiled and left before the awe of her presence could register. "She looked in good form and we are sure she would turn the tide in her favour," </b>quipped her admirers as they left to return faithfully the next day.
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd--> <!--emo&:cool--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/specool.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='specool.gif' /><!--endemo-->