There is something perennially wrong with Rajasthan Congress. A person of BJP mindset gets ticket for Lok Sabha ticket and wife (read Manju Sharma) of a poet (Kumar Vishwas), who popularised the sobriquet Pappu for Congress leader gets berth of member in Rajasthan Public Service Commission. Moreover a retired Lt Colonel (Kesari Singh), who self elevated himself as Colonel, gets prized post of RPSC member despite openly abusing Congress state chief Govind Singh Dotasara and his community. Later, former chief minister Ashok Gehlot had to tender public apology after losing face.
The Congress candidate for Lok Sabha Sunil Sharma, chairman of Suresh Gyan Vihar University is also one of the directors of The Jaipur Dialogues – a right winged platform where questions are asked from Congress and its leaders including Jawahar Lal Nehru, narratives are pushed against minorities and agenda of Hindutva is propagated much on the lines of BJP. The platform is promoting ideas which are completely in contrast with Congress ideology.
Sunil Sharma, who is actively involved in this right wing propaganda platform, has one just one claim. His elder brother Suresh Sharma was the district president of Congress. He was close to former senior Congress leader Nawal Kishore Sharma and was brother-in-law of R R Tiwari, the Congress candidate from Hawa Mahal assembly seat who lost to BJP's Balmukundacharya.
“Congress once again put its foot in its mouth by fielding a candidate who has been propagating the agenda of BJP. Former IAS Sanjay Dixit is also part of The Jaipur Dialogues, which praises prime minister Narendra Modi and BJP and questions the credibility of Congress and its leaders,” said Naveen Seth, a political analyst.
The grand old party is struggling to attract good political talent. Of late, it is giving opportunities to people without any background check. The pitiable condition of party in the state and in the country at large is reflected from the blunders Congress leaders have been committing. The candidature of Sunil Sharma for Lok Sabha seat in Jaipur from nowhere is just a testimony to the fact.
Prakash Bhandari is a veteran journalist with over 50 years of experience. He has worked with The Times of India for 30 years and contributed to leading publications as well as international news agency AFP.
