After BSP debacle, UP Congress now looks to Mulayam for succour

In a state where the party had ruled for four decades, the Congress is perhaps at its worst now.

Though its numerical strength has plummeted to an all-time low -- three dozen MLAs in a state assembly of 425 -- in last October's assembly election, infighting is unabated. The party has lost its charisma and even its potential to hit back in Uttar Pradesh. So much so that it has to now depend on Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav even to contest a by-election.

The alibi, of course, is ''fighting communal forces''. Both Mulayam Singh and state Congress chief Jitendra Prasada are quick to point out, ''We have to come together to defeat communal forces.'' But Prasada, who till recently blasted Mulayam Singh for scuttling support to a Congress-sponsored Mayawati-led government, now adds sheepishly, ''We have nothing to do with the SP directly. Our arrangement is with the United Front, of which the SP happens to be a constituent.'' A jubilant Mulayam Singh confirms proudly, ''Yes, I will campaign for the Congress nominee.''

In case the Congress wins the by-election because of the crutches provided by the SP, will it resuscitate the party? Perhaps no. And it is for this reason that UP Congressmen are desperately trying to rope in Sonia Gandhi. Even some of the older Congressmen have emerged out of their cocoons to press for Sonia's enrolment in the UPCC. Leading the campaign is former minister Lokpati Tripathi. ''I will call on Soniaji in New Delhi and I am sure she will agree,'' Kamalapati Tripathi's eldest son said.

However, Lokpati Tripathi's critics within the party see it as just another move to bring him back to the party mainstream. Regarded as a strong contender for the state president's post, Lokpati Tripathi is bound to gain partymen's support if he is considered close to Sonia. In this gameplan, he has the support of colleagues Ammar Rizvi and Pramod Tiwari who have crossed swords with Prasada and many others in the party.

Thus, the party stands sharply divided into two camps -- one led by Prasada and the other by Tiwari whose position as the Congress Legislature Party leader had been challenged by his deputy Naresh Agarwal. With Agarwal joining hands with Prasad, Tiwari felt he would need a strong ally like Lokpati Tripathi.

Besides Prasada who intends to continue for another term, and Tripathi who would not wish to miss this opportunity, there are two other contenders for the top UPCC job -- former chief minister Ram Naresh Yadav and former minister Jagdambika Pal who earlier crossed over to the N D Tiwari camp.

However, what is obstructing the state party presidential poll is the failure to nominate 15 CLP members to the UPCC. The nominations cannot be finalised unless a CLP meeting is held. But CLP chief Tiwari is reluctant to convene such a meeting as he fears he will lose his post to Agarwal.

Nominations for the UPCC president's post will begin on June 8. And the tug-of-war that is bound to precede and even follow these organisational elections will determine the party's destiny.