The Congress has dropped Sunil Sharma as the Lok Sabha candidate from the capital seat of Jaipur. (Image: @I_SunilSharma/X)
Congress selection process had come under fire from within after two candidates with allegedly divisive stances were chosen; Sunil Sharma from Jaipur has now been dropped, but Lal Singh from Udhampur keeps ticket for now
The Congress has to eat its words over at least one of its two candidates, whose selection had led to a furore online and questions over the party’s ideological clarity. Sunil Sharma, who was named from Jaipur, has been dropped though there is no new development yet on the other candidate, Lal Singh, from Udhampur in Jammu and Kashmir.
The party announced late on Sunday that Sunil Sharm is no longer the party’s choice from the capital seat of Jaipur. Now, why would anyone have an issue with someone whose family belongs to the Congress? His late brother Suresh was the party’s district president for Jaipur in the 1990s. But, Sunil was linked to an “anti-Congress” platform called ‘Jaipur Dialogues’ as its director. This platform’s social media handles regularly post against the Congress and have repeatedly been accused of peddling fake news and being socially divisive. The platform fashions itself as a think tank and a prominent face associated with it is that of former IAS officer Sanjay Dixit.
Sunil did seek to clarify that he had nothing to do with the platform’s social media as such and stressed that he has been consistently speaking in line with Congress ideology. But, the explanation was clearly not enough as his selection triggered online outrage among Congress supporters and other anti-BJP activists that see ‘Jaipur Dialogues’ as pariahs.
It particularly became an irritant in Rajasthan, where the Congress got zero seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The party was recently also voted out of power in the assembly elections.
According to sources, during the meeting of the central election committee, there were some voices that cautioned about Sunil. Sachin Pilot is learnt to have pushed for Manish Parekh but Sunil’s name had been cleared by state incharge Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, who is from Punjab. Observers said a factor could have been his access to resources that could come in handy for the Congress, which is facing a cash crunch.
Sunil, who is the chairman of an educational institution, had also met state Congress chief Govind Singh Dotasra and former chief minister Ashok Gehlot soon after his selection.
Questions, however, remain over the party’s choice from Udhampur seat. Lal Singh, who was with the BJP and a minister in the Mehbooba Mufti-led PDP-BJP government, had made headlines when he defended the accused in the rape of a minor girl in Kathua.
Having left the BJP in 2018, he later formed his own outfit called ‘Dogra Swabhimaan Sangathan Party’, which he has now merged with the Congress. He has been with the Congress in the past as well.
As for his resignation as state cabinet minister back in 2018, those reasons also included money laundering charges and his subsequent arrest.
With the Congress already being accused of going soft on INDIA ally TMC over the Sandeshkhali issue, the BJP has got a strong reason to call the Congress and Gandhis “anti-women”. Singh’s entry into the Congress will just make matters worse and, with women voters being key in 2024, this section could see red over Lal Singh as a candidate.
