Cong Chintan Shivir may adopt ‘one family, one poll ticket’ policy

EMPHASISING ON NEED TO STRENGTHEN THE PARTY FOR THE 2024 ELECTIONS, CONG ANNOUNCED ITS TOP PRIORITY IS SETTING ITS HOUSE IN ORDER AND INDICATED IT WANTS TO WORK WITH ALL OPPN PARTIES

UDAIPUR: The Congress party’s Chintan Shivir is set to adopt a policy of “one family, one poll ticket” and fix a five-year term for office-bearers followed by a cooling-off period of three years, attempting to strike a balance between young leaders and veterans, AICC general secretary Ajay Maken said on Friday.

The party’s youth panel will push for reservation of half of the seats in the organisation, from booth committees to the CWC (Congress Working Committee), for people below 50 years of age. Another proposal of the panel demands a right to work, along the lines of the MGNREGS, for urban areas.

The measures are seen as an attempt to bring more young faces in both the organisation and electoral battles. The BJP has on many occasions avoided giving tickets to family members after the retirement or death of a lawmaker, even though it doesn’t have any fixed rule.

But the Congress has kept enough room available to accommodate the Gandhi family and other important leaders.

Maken added that the proposal on poll tickets will not be applicable to those who have worked for more than five years in the organisation. In other words, if two or three members of a family have worked in the organisation for more than five years, they would be eligible to contest polls.“The proposals would also ensure,” added a leader, “that outsiders who join the party don’t get immediate scope to contest polls, ignoring insiders.”

Hours before the Chintan Shivir started its deliberations, Maken also announced, “We will give more space for leaders under 50 years of age but also take the help of experienced leaders.” He announced timebound goals for an organisational revamp, a matter of utmost importance. “For example, Mandal committees will be formed within 2-3 months.”

Later, Congress leader Ragini Nayak said, “India is a young nation. We want to ensure that they (young people) are represented from the top to the bottom of the party.”

Emphasising the need to strengthen the party and make it an integral part of any non-BJP alliance for the 2024 elections, the Congress announced on Friday its top priority is setting its house in order and indicated it wants to work with all Opposition parties. “We want to carry everyone with us,” said Rajya Sabha leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge. With the Congress under pressure from both the BJP and strong regional parties, Kharge pitched for an alliance for 2024 but added, “We want to put our house in order first and make the party stronger. If we don’t have money, why would anyone come and invest in our company?”