January 23: A Bombay High Court division bench today directed the ten-member presidium of Dalit leaders to again try to resolve their leadership differences even as the first attempt by the warring factions of Dalit leadership was deadlocked. The representatives have been ordered to chalk out a via media and report to the court on January 27. The court had yesterday directed them to find a solution to the issue.The ruling was issued following a writ petition filed by a Dalit group leader (a member of the presidium) challenging the Election Commission's decision to empower the presidium to finalise official party candidates in the forthcoming elections.
The leadership dispute reached the EC when the R S Gavai group refused to acknowledge the presidentship of Raja Dhale, who claimed that he alone was authorised decide the final list of party candidates. Asking the factions to set aside their differences in the coming elections, the EC had directed that six of the 10 presidium members should sign the
candidature forms. Dhale moved the court against this order following which the court asked the leaders to sort out the differences internally.
Gavai's lawyer Alhad Dharmadhikari today said that Gavai enjoyed the support of seven of the 10 leaders who had already written to EC authorising Gavai to sign the candidature forms. Therefore, Dhale now cannot change the procedure. Gavai said the presidium had no objection in granting party candidature to Dhale or Prakash Ambedkar. However, Dhale's lawyer Nitin Pradhan told the court that he did agree with the arrangement.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
