New Delhi: Amid talks of an imminent change of guard in the Congress, CPM General Secretary Sitaram Yechury feels that President Sonia Gandhi "continues to be the glue" that keeps both the party and the anti-BJP secular alliance together.
Yechury told CNN-News18 in an exclusive interview that, “Mrs Gandhi played a very crucial role in the formation of the UPA and, in the entire effort to get rid of the NDA government of Vajpayee which was then necessary for the country. So, she has played that role and continues to be the glue, both, in keeping the party and many secular allies together.”
The CPM leader, along with Jairam Ramesh, was instrumental in drafting the UPA’s Common Minimum Programme when the Left parties supported the Congress led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) in 2004 to form a government at the Centre.
The alliance collapsed in the run up to the next general elections with the Left deciding to withdraw support opposing the Indo-US Civilian Nuclear Deal signed by the Manmohan Singh government.
Calling Rahul's ascension an internal matter of the party, Yechury maintained that any comparison between the mother and son at this stage would be unfair.
"In his recent campaign in Gujarat he showed the tenacity, contacting people at the grassroots but his commitment will only be demonstrated when he is in a position of responsibility,” said Yechury.
Delay in Rahul' ascension as Congress President for long has been seen as a sign of a power struggle between the old guard and the young guns under Rahul Gandhi.
The extension of Congress' internal political dynamics is at times also manifested within the UPA with some regional satraps like Mamata Banerjee and Lalu Yadav indicating they are relatively more comfortable in dealing with Sonia Gandhi with whom they have had a long working relationship.
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