At Congress anniversary bash, Suresh Kalmadi’s name is forgotten

Congress’ national spokesman, Janardan Dwivedi, on Sunday refused to comment on the recent Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) raids on MP Suresh Kalmadi’s homes in Delhi and Pune, saying that the party could not comment on the legal process.
Dwivedi, general secretary of the all-India Congress committee (AICC), was in the city to inaugurate an exhibition organised by the city unit of Congress as a part of week to celebrate the party’s 125th anniversary.

When asked whether the raids by the CBI on Kalmadi’s residences and offices have caused any harm to the party, Dwivedi said, “It is a legal process. Congress as a political party will not comment on it.”

He reiterated the legal angle in a reply to a query on sidelining of Kalmadi in the party.

Dwivedi neither defended Kalmadi nor mentioned his name despite a fervent appeal made to him by a local party office-bearer. After the flag hoisting at Congress Bhavan, Dwivedi visited the party office.

When city Congress president Abhay Chhajed was introducing the party’s local office-bearers to him, vice-president of city unit and former corporator, Mukhtar Shaikh, appealed to Dwivedi to support Kalmadi.

Shaikh told Dwivedi, “Kalmadi is facing trouble. The party should support him. He has saved the Congress in the city. If he is politically uprooted, the party will also be finished.” Dwivedi listened to Shaikh but did not respond.

During the inauguration of the exhibition, no speaker uttered Kalmadi’s name, although he is local MP and Congress leader.
President of the state unit of Congress, Manikrao Thakre, expressed confidence that party leaders in the city, such as Ulhas Pawar and Mohan Joshi, would make efforts to strengthen the party, but did not mention Kalmadi’s name.