Congress goes for young blood in structure revamp

NEWDELHI: At least 30 out of 44 new secretaries appointed to assist senior Congress office-bearers in different states are first-generation politicians, signalling a shift in the grand old party’s organisational structure, in line with a speech made last month by newly anointed president, Rahul Gandhi.

Approximately 70 other young leaders have been shortlisted for similar responsibilities in the second rung of leadership in an ongoing reshuffle in the party, according to Congress functionaries familiar with the development.

The 47-year-old Rahul Gandhi, in a speech at the Congress plenary in Delhi on March 18, had said that one of his main priorities was to “break the wall between workers and leaders” and to bring people sitting on the back benches to the front lines.

Some of the first-generation politicians picked by Rahul Gandhi are Prakash Joshi from Uttar- akhand, Manickam Tagore from Tamil Nadu, PC Vishunadh from Kerala, Chandan Yadav from Bihar, Shaikh Mastan Vali from Andhra Pradesh, Jitu Patwari from Madhya Pradesh and Zubair Khan from Rajasthan. Patwari was last week appointed the working president of the Congress in MP in the run-up to the elections.

“Rahul-ji has maintained that the political system can be changed only if more and more young people join politics. He has also ensured that doors of the Congress remain open for first generation leaders. He has kept his promise,” said Prakash Joshi, who now assists Ghulam Nabi Azad.

AT LEAST 30 OF 44 NEW SECRETARIES APPOINTED TO ASSIST SENIOR CONGRESS OFFICEBEARERS ARE FIRSTGENERATION POLITICIANS