Congress poised for major changes in coming months

LUCKNOW: The Congress move to appoint three new secretaries to assist Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in the state last month may be the beginning of many major changes the party may propose to carry out in coming months.

As the appointment of the three secretaries takes the total number of All India Congress Committee (AICC) secretaries to nine, the party leaders have begun talking about the likely changes when the Congress gets a new president in coming months and how they may help AICC general secretary (in charge UP) Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in accomplishing her UP mission.

“We are looking at a larger national level role for AICC general secretary (in charge for Uttar Pradesh) Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. She has already begun moving out to campaign for the party in other states. We understand some of the AICC secretaries working in the state will also be moved out. AICC secretary Rana Goswami is contesting elections in Assam and he has been practically relieved of his responsibility here,” said a senior Congress leader.

As major changes in the Congress in coming months have become a talking point, the party men are again demanding that Rahul Gandhi should be convinced about assuming role as party president and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra be given a larger role in the party organisation. “UP’s party men want a larger role for Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. We hope Rahul Gandhi will agree to take over as president if the party goes for a new leader after elections to five state assemblies and announcement of results on May 2, ” said the leader.

AICC secretary Zubair Khan, who was appointed in charge for panchayat elections in UP along with AICC secretary Dheeraj Gurjar, said the party men in the state had been making the demand in this regard and a decision would be taken only by the party high command.

Khan said the three secretaries had been appointed to strengthen the party organisation in the state and some of the party’s secretaries may be shifted. He said work was allotted to seven secretaries who were made in charges of 8 to 12 districts to oversee the party’s preparations and support for candidates in panchayat polls in the state.

It may be mentioned that on March 27, AICC general secretary KC Venugopal had issued an order appointing three AICC secretaries Rajesh Tiwari, Tauquir Alam and Pradeep Narwal for the state.

Other AICC secretaries attached to the general secretary in charge Priyanka Gandhi include Zubair Khan, Rohit Chaudhary, Dheeraj Gurjar, Baji Rao Khade, Sachin Naik and Rana Goswami.

“Rajiv Tiwari is working with Chhatisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel. Earlier, he worked for training of the UPCC team. Chattisgarh’s team will now be camping in some districts for panchayat elections,” said another leader.

“Changes are always made for the better. The party is bringing in leaders who have worked at the ground level and have remained involved in training programmes earlier. We are sure the changes will strengthen Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s mission for Uttar Pradesh,” said Congress spokesman Surendra Rajput.

THE PARTY MEN WERE AGAIN DEMANDING THAT PRIYANKA GANDHI VADRA BE GIVEN A LARGER ROLE IN THE PARTY ORGANISATION