Even as the Congress is riding high at the national level after winning 99 seats in the general elections, it is facing growing discontent in its state units. If this is not checked, the unrest could percolate to the cadre level and create widespread disaffection as the party prepares for multiple Assembly elections later this year and in 2025.
In Andhra Pradesh, the infighting between state Congress president Y S Sharmila and the two working presidents has led to the dissolution of party committees and the locking of rooms in the party office at Vijayawada.
In neighbouring Telangana, where the Congress is in power, it is accused of poaching leaders from the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS). ‘Operation Akarsh’, as it is known, is doing to the BRS what the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s Operation Lotus did to the Opposition in many states. Reports suggest that some senior party leaders are not in favour of this poaching.
In Karnataka, there is a revival of the demand within the party that more Cabinet ministers be made deputy chief ministers. In Maharashtra, 16 senior leaders have demanded that the chief of the Mumbai unit be replaced.