Cong announces major organisational reforms
Approves ‘One Person, One Post’ & ‘One Family, One Ticket’ rules
NEW DELHI: After three days of concentrated “Chintan Shivir”, the Congress Working Committee (CWC), which is party's top decision-making body, finally approved some key proposals for organisational reforms such as the implementation of the contentious one family, one ticket rule in the party, 50 per cent representation for those below 50 years of age at all levels, including the CWC and five-year term limit for those holding positions at all levels.
In the ‘one family, one ticket' rule, there is no ‘permanent ban' on seeking ticket family members. It has been approved with a condition as family members of leaders would get party tickets if that member had worked in the party in an exemplary manner for at least five years.
In its Udaipur Declaration adopted after deliberations at the ‘Nav Sankalp Chintan Shivir', the Congress also decided to set up three new departments — public insight, election management and national training. The Udaipur Nav Sankalp Shivir declaration has been adopted by the CWC at its meeting presided over by party chief Sonia Gandhi.
Notably, Millennium Post had first reported that the party would take a final call on the implementation of the one family, one ticket rule at Udaipur Chintan Shivir.
The purpose of setting up of ‘Public Insight Department' is to get “rational feedback” for knowing the views the of the public on different subjects and for policymaking, while the establishment of a ‘National Training Institute' is aimed at getting comprehensive training on the policies, ideology, vision, policies of the government and current burning issues for its leaders and workers. The national training institute is to be started at the Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Development Studies in Kerala.
The party would constitute an election management department at the level of the All India Congress Committee for effective election preparation at every level and obtaining expected results.
In her concluding address, Congress president Sonia Gandhi announced launching a ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra' from Kanyakumari to Kashmir beginning on Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti -- October 2.
Cong to field those below 50 in half of seats in LS, state polls from 2024
The party will also launch the second phase of its ‘Jan Jagran Yatra’ at the district level from June 15, she said, adding that a task force will be set up to initiate the organisational reforms.
The Congress president will set up an advisory group from among Congress Working Committee (CWC) members to deliberate on political challenges.
However, former party president Rahul Gandhi admitted that the Congress’ connection with people has been “broken” and the October yatra is aimed at re-establishing and strengthening the public connect.
“Our fight is for ideology. We have to go to the people and sit with them, the connection the party had with people has to be re-established,” he said.
The Congress on Sunday also adopted a ‘Nav Sankalp’ — a road map for wide-ranging reforms in the party organisation to make it battle-ready for the next round of assembly and Lok Sabha polls.
Asserting that India is a Union of States, Gandhi said, “It is critical for the union of the country that the states and the people are allowed to have a conversation.
The only alternative to a conversation between the people of India is violence between people of India.
Rahul also alleged a “systematic destruction” of various institutions was taking place. “The day this country’s institutions stop working, the day this country stops having a conversation with itself, we will be in serious trouble,” he said.