There is a complete demoralization within the party, which is reflected in the fact that the party is out of ideas and discussions of strategies in the state.

Ever since Rahul Gandhi divided the party organisation into eight zones, the state PCC president has no work at all.

People remember the days when under the auspices of Mrs Rita Bahuguna Joshi, then the PCC president, the party had adopted the attitude of confrontation with those in power and who were running the state.

During the leadership of Mrs Rita Bahuguna Joshi, the party had been fighting with the Mayawati regime on the delicate issues of corruption and governance.

So much so that the residence of Mrs Rita Bahuguna Joshi was put on fire upon the instructions of the BSP leadership. The then PCC president and other senior leaders had alleged that Mayawati was behind the incidence of fire at the residence of Mrs Rita Bahuguna Joshi.

Mrs Rita Bahuguna Joshi had courted arrest several times during Mayawati’s regime for registering protest on the issues concerning farmers and the common man. She led the party to confront the Akhilesh Yadav regime as well.

But ever since Mr Nirmal Khatri took over as PCC president, there has been no agitation against the state government.

The demoralisation in the party is evident through the thin attendance at a party function in Lucknow on December 26, 2012.

Although all the AICC and PCC members from UP and other district level office-bearers were called for the meeting, the turnout was very low.

Senior party leaders like Ameer Haider pointed out the communication gap between the party workers and central leadership. He alleged that those who come to party from other parties were being given prominence while who remained loyal were ignored.

Some of the speakers also said that party’s stand on giving promotion to Harijans in quota would alienate the upper caste members from the party.

Significantly enough, few zonal heads of the party like Raja Ram Pal said that at a time when they were busy in rebuilding the party organisation from grass root level to district headquarters and short listing the possible candidates for Lok Sabha central leadership has sent observers to do same job in their region which was complicating the things.

Congress veterans like Satyadeo Tripathi feel unless old guards are brought and given importance and work is allocated to them again, it would be difficult for the party to face the Lok Sabha polls.

Senior Congress leaders feel that Rahul Gandhi should spend more time in Lucknow and other parts of the state rather then visiting Amethi and Rae Bareili.

It is also being talked about in Congress circle that whatever exercise local leaders may indulge in to find out possible candidates but ultimately computer boys of Rahul brigade would have final say.

Congress leaders want Rahul Gandhi to direct the state leadership to take party organisation from grass root level to party headquarters on streets on the issue of deterioration in law and order, governance and deterioration in power supply.

Congress leaders feel unless Rahul Gandhi is able to give the impression that party was serious to take on Samajwadi Party, BSP and BJP it would be difficult to revive the fortune of party in Lok Sabha polls. (IPA Service)