M A I N   N E W S

Jitendra attacks coterie
Rules out withdrawal from contest
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Oct 30—A senior Congress leader ,Mr Jitendra Prasada, who is contesting against Ms Sonia Gandhi in the party's presidential elections, has ruled out withdrawal of his candidature, saying that it was "a battle between coterie and grassroots party workers."

Talking to media persons here, Mr Prasada attacked the ``coterie’’ surrounding the party leadership.

"They encircle the leadership, insulate it from workers and block channels of inner-party communication. Coterie around leadership was a cancer that ate into the vitals of the organisation," he said, while emphasising the need of saving the Congress from the ``coterie."

He did not directly attack Ms Gandhi or identify those in the coterie. ``Every party worker knows them," he said.

But in his agenda paper, "Why I am a candidate", Mr Prasada directed his barbs at the Congress leadership ,saying that the party had touched its lowest level of performance.

He said that grassroots party men and women had scored impressive gains in the local bodies' elections without any national-level leader campaigning ,but the party had lost elections where ''leaders'' have campaigned.

Mr Prasada also objected to the CEA decision of counting votes statewise, alleging that it would ''violate secrecy of the ballot.''

Demanding that votes be mixed before commencement of counting, he said that this method had been followed in elections so far.

Asked if he had faith in the CEA headed by Mr Ram Nivas Mirdha, Mr Prasada said ,``I have written several letters to the CEA. Now you can draw your own conclusion.’’

Mr Prasada, who is the first leader to contest against a member of the Nehru-Gandhi family, announced that he would be touring various states to seek support of PCC delegates.

Meanwhile ,the nominations of Ms Sonia Gandhi and Mr Prasada have been found valid, chief of the CEA, Mr Mirdha, said here today.

UNI adds: AICC general secretary Ambika Soni on Monday said she was not aware of any coterie around the party President, Ms Sonia Gandhi ,as alleged by Mr Prasada.

"We are seven general secretaries and the party president consults us whenever required in the areas of our work. I am not aware of any coterie around her," she said in reply to a question.

Prasada’s papers forged: ex-MLA

PATNA, Oct 30 (UNI)—One of the five Congress delegates from Bihar, who reportedly filed papers for a senior leader ,Mr Jitendra Prasada, for the post of Congress president yesterday, has urged the party's CEA Chairman ,Mr Ram Niwas Mirdha ,to cancel Mr Prasada's nomination on the ground of forgery.

In a message to Mr Mirdha, Mr Satyadeo Singh, former legislator and party delegate from Mansi block in Khagaria district, has said that he had not filed nomination for Mr Prasada and his signatures were forged.