Battles that the next Gujarat Congress Chief(?) will be greeted with

It’s over a month now after Gujarat Congress President Siddharth Patel resigned from his post due to party’s defeat in local polls. However the central core committee of Congress party has yet not made its mind on who would replace him.

Whether Shankarsinh, or Arjunbhai or Madhusudan Mistry, whoever of these three or someone other ultimately becomes Gujarat Congress President, he will have to pass trough initial test in some minor Nagarpalika polls in February. Moreover Ahmedabad city’s Khadia assembly by-election will also come in before 29 March. Khadia was represented by late Gujarat assembly Speaker and BJP big-wig Shri Ashok Bhatt. Shri Bhatt passed away on 29-10-10. His vacant seat has to be filled within six months.

About the Nagarpalika polls, here is the list of places that will be witnessing elections: Bareja, Barvala, Damnagar, Babra, Sojitra, Bhabhar, Amod, Valbhipur, Pethapur, Motera, Sikka, Raval, Sutrapada, Talala, Karjan, Thasra, Kathlal, Gandevi, Shahera, Maliya Miyana, Vadali, Bayad, Mandvi, Tarsadi, Patdi, Chotila, Savli, and Umargam.

Most of the places are not tough terrain for Congress, and suitable for victory. If Congress can not win maximum of these Municipalities, then that would be a great disappointment for Congress party, and embarrassment for new Gujarat Congress President.

Apart from minor tests of Khadia, and few Municipalities listed above, the new Congress President will not have to face any major election. The next big task would be the 2012 assembly election. In this sense, Siddharth Patel had to resign because barring general assembly poll, he faced every other kind of election during his tenure. This includes Lok Sabha poll, Municipal Corporation and Municipality polls, assembly by-polls and Panchayat polls. Patel’s tenure therefore was full of battles. Patel just got success in Junagadh Municipal Corporation election.The next Congress President will enjoy relatively a safer time for next two years.

It is interesting that Siddharth Patel completed his Congress President term in July this year. However GPCC passed a resolution that new Congress President would be decided by their central leadership, and till that Siddharth Patell would continue as GPCC President. The central leadership didn’t decide on new President, and Patel continued. He is still continuing, and that shows how serious the central leadership of Congress party is when it comes to affairs of Gujarat. Perhaps Gujarat is not in priority because there’s no or little hope for the party so far as Gujarat is concerned.