Cong plans rejig with eye on state elections
The Congress party is likely to reshuffle its organisation soon, a move that has been widely anticipated after its poor performance in the latest round of assembly elections in April and May, and which has led to speculation about the likelihood of a larger role for general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and the induction of election strategist Prashant Kishor into the party.
Party leaders who spoke on condition of anonymity said the changes could see the elevation of some young leaders to important posts, and also find proper roles tions and get the party ready for immediate challenges, including important state elections next year. As many as seven states are scheduled to hold elections next year: Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Goa, Manipur and Himachal Pradesh.
One of the leaders said that the process could accelerate after Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s return to Delhi, and party president Sonia Gandhi’s meeting with Opposition leaders. A section of the party wants Priyanka Gandhi, general secretary in charge of Uttar Pradesh, to take wider responsibility and handle the affairs of the party’s frontal organisations such as NSUI and the Youth Congress. the BJP in West Bengal, met Rahul Gandhi last month with what some said was a plan on the party’s revival.
In return, the Congress is believed to have invited him to join
Kishor said he is not aware of any such developments.
“While a section of the party wants Kishor to join Congress now and handle assignments for the upcoming elections, another feels he should work independently with the Congress for a few months to get accustomed with our style of political management before taking the plunge,” said a senior functionary of the party.
The final decision on Kishor, and the roles for former Rajya Sabha Leader of Opposition Azad, former Kerala party unit president Ramesh Chennithala, former deputy PM of Rajasthan Pilot and others will be decided by Sonia and Rahul Gandhi. “At least three new in-charge of Sikkim, Naga and Tripura. Kumar’s app ment came even as the Cong alleged that the Union govern has “pushed the entire Northinto chaos and there is com breakdown of law & order constitutional machinery in m ple states”. Its reference is to clash between Assam and M ram and the violence in Meg aya, all in recent weeks.
“Uncertainty, conflict, vio clashes and unchecked law ness have marred a large pa India’s North East. The situati beyond alarming. Multiple S of North East are being pu into an unprecedented cyc lawlessness with complete br