AICC reshuffle up next : challenges before the party

Bilha in Chattisgarh, was the site of much bad blood on Monday when supporters of former Congress chief minister Ajit Jogi and AICC General Secretary incharge of the state BK Hariprasad clashed publicly. Reports suggest that it was reduced to a slanging match between the two senior Congress leaders who do not see eye to eye. It is organizational challenges like these that need to be addressed in the massive All India Congress Committee reshuffle which is next on the agenda, now that the Cabinet rejig is over. The organizational rejig which could take place as early as this Friday, will also mark the elevation of Congress scion Rahul Gandhi from a General Secretary to a virtually second in command of the party after his mother Congress President Sonia Gandhi.

 

While it is yet not clear what the nomenclature of his post will be, Congress sources confirm that RG as he is known in party circles, (Rahul Gandhi) will have all General Secretaries including state incharges reporting to him. “In that way, RG will have a hand on the pulse Congress party activities throughout the country,” said a party insider. He added, “After all, it is no secret that RG will be leading the party into the next general elections 2014.”

The Chattisgarh incident is not an isolated one, as the Congress is ridden with factionalism in several states leading to an erosion of the party organization and a consequent weakening of party presence in the state. In Karnataka, infighting within the party is posing to be a challenge for the Congress which is hoping to make a comeback in 2014 Assembly polls. The PCC chief G Parameshwar for instance, finds no support from within the ranks. The challenge in the AICC reshuffle would be to harmoniously balance the choice of AICC general secretary and PCC chief as well as keep in mind caste, tribal, and regional sentiments.

The party rejig will also involve a reassignment of Pradesh Congress Committee President posts especially in states that are due for polls in 2013 and 2014.  

The rehaul of the organisational structure was slated to coincide with the UPA cabinet reshuffle as several senior ministers including the then I&B minister Ambika Soni resigned so that they could be drafted into party work. Soni, a long time organizational hand dating back to the times she was mentored by the late Sanjay Gandhi, is all set to be assigned a bigger role in the party which could even be as Political Secretary to the Congress President. Party insiders are speculating about what the role of the present incumbent Ahmed Patel, a close Gandhi aide will then be. Mukul Wasnik, who resigned from the Union Cabinet and is at present the General Secretary incharge of Rajasthan is slated for additional party responsibilities.

Despite the speculation that several young MPs close to Rahul Gandhi like Ashok Tanwar, Meenakshi Natrajan and Manicka Tagore would make their debut in the Council of ministers; the fact that they were not included, says an General secretary only goes to show that RG is expected to give important roles to his close aides within the party.

“The fact that RG did not take up a government role even when the PM had requested him several times is because he wants to build up the party and strengthen it in the run up to crucial state polls and elections 2014. So he needs trusted aides to work for him.”

Already RPN Singh, Jition Prasad, Jitenddra Singh have been included in the Uttar Pradesh organizational rehaul effected by Rahul Gandhi. Reports indicate that the crucial role of UP incharge could go to Congress old hand Madhusudan Mistry. A change of Treasurer present incumbent being Motilal Vohra could also be on the cards.

Senior Congress leaders have been lamenting the lack of suitable organizational hands to man vital party posts. Some like present Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot, are considered good party leaders but are not available for Central roles just at present. 

With the Cabinet reshuffle under its belt, the Congress party is all set to tighten the loose ends in the party organization. With an eye to that, on November 4 the party is slated to hold a massive rally in the capital in support of the economic policies of the government and will be addressed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, and have Congress chief ministers in attendance.