Cong set for a big internal reshuffle
Congress appears to have responded to calls from its rank and file to initiate organisational changes and fix responsibility for a string of electoral losses since the 2014 national elections.
It has slowly begun the process of restructuring — evident from the sacking of party general secretary Digvijaya Singh as its in-charge in Goa.
The party won the most seats in the April-May assembly elections, but couldn’t collect any allies to unseat the BJP from power in the small western state.
Such action from the high command, replacing a senior functionary on state leaders’ demand, is rare in the Congress. But then, the party leadership is facing wide criticism for its indecisiveness, breakdown of the decisionmaking process, and failure to react to crisis situations, especially after the worst drubbing in the 2014 elections.
Singh’s ouster is seen as a message that the leadership won’t hesitate to act tough, whenever the need arises to hold senior functionaries accountable.
Singh, a former Madhya Pradesh chief minister, lost charge of Karnataka as well.
That was apparently done on the request of state leaders and legislators, who complained against his work style. Dissent could trip the party’s chances of retaining power in the southern state that votes in April-May next year.
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