Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, Dec 4: The Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday issued a stern message to all the Congress leaders to “perform or perish” and strongly pitched for accountability of the office-bearers from “top to bottom.”
Presiding over the first meeting of the Congress Steering Committee, which substitute for the Congress Working Committee till a new CWC is elected at the plenary session of the party, Kharge, the newly-elected president, warned the party’s office-bearers to leave the post if they are unable to deliver on their responsibilities and sent out a stern message to leaders to perform or make way for others.
During the meeting at the AICC headquarters, the Congress also decided to hold its plenary session in Raipur, Chhattisgarh, in the second half of February, where Mr Kharge’s election as president would be ratified ad the new CWC elected. The meeting also decided to hold ‘Haath Se Haath Jodo Abhiyan (Joining Hands campaign)’ and state-level padyatras by women workers to be led by Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.
After the end of the current Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra by January 26, the Congress continue its mass outreach with the ‘Haath Se Haath Jodo Abhiyan (Joining Hands campaign)’ till March 26, during which foot marches will be taken out from village to block and district levels and will culminate as public rallies at state headquarters. The party will also hand out a letter by Rahul Gandhi talking about the core message of the yatra, along with a “charge sheet” against the Modi government.
Underlining the importance of “organisational accountability from top to bottom”, Mr. Kharge, in his opening statement to the Steering Committee, said “There are many responsible people in the party who fulfil their duties. But at the same time, a few of our colleagues believe that their deficiencies in fulfilling the responsibility will be ignored. This is not acceptable. Those who are unable to fulfill the responsibility will have to give chance to others.”
He also stressed that winning the electoral battles is essential for the party to serve the country and this in turn can only be done by a strong organisation that delivers on people’s expectations. He exhorted the general secretaries and State in-charges to introspect. “Ask yourself do you spend at least ten days each month in the State under your charge,” Mr. Kharge said, prescribing a host of housekeeping solutions to keep the organisation alert. Each State, must take stock of bodies at district and block level, he said, ensuring that these bodies are reconstituted once every five years and new faces are given organisational responsibilities. Sounding out the States that will face Assembly elections before 2024, Mr. Kharge said, they should have an “activity schedule in place.”
At a press conference after the meeting, party’s General Secretary (Communication) Jairam Ramesh, particularly pointed out Steering Committee’s statement emphasising on “unity”. “The Indian National Congress has a critical role to play in finding solutions to these challenges. The Steering Committee calls upon every Congressman and Congresswoman to work with unity, faith, determination, and a sense of collective purpose. The victory of the party will be the victory of every leader and karyakarta and a victory for the idea of India that guided our freedom movement and is enshrined in our Constitution,” the statement notes.
This is especially significant in the backdrop of unseemly and a very public tug-of-war between Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his former Deputy Sachin Pilot even as the two leaders have promised to work unitedly when the Bharat Jodo Yatra traverse through Rajasthan from Monday. Mr. Gehlot had recently branded Pilot a “traitor” forcing the party high command to broker peace between the two.
In his introductory remarks at the meeting, Mr Kharge batting for the organisational accountability said, “I believe that the biggest part of our responsibility towards the party and the country is — organisational accountability from top to bottom. If the Congress organisation is strong, accountable and lives up to the expectations of the people, only then we will be able to win elections and serve the people of the country,” the Congress chief said.
Mired in factionalism in several states including in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, the two states where it is in power of its own, the party stressed on unity and urged members to work with a sense of collective purpose to ensure the Congress’ victory. During the meeting, the leaders also discussed the party’s prospects in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, with in-charges in these states giving their reports.
Talking tough, Mr Kharge asked the in-charges if all the District Congress and Block Congress Committees have been formed under them and whether the organisation is fighting for the people’s issues. “Have more and more new faces been given a chance at the block and district levels? “How many units are there where the district and block units have not been changed for five years? How many times agitations have taken place on the directives of the AICC on local problems,” Mr Kharge said.
He also said unless general secretaries and in-charges, secretaries, state Congress chiefs, party MLAs and MPs do not prepare a blueprint for actions at the ground level, “our responsibilities cannot be fulfilled”. “I hope that all of you will prepare a blueprint for the organisation and mass movements and discuss it with me in the next 15 to 30 days,” the Congress chief said.
The party statement said it has a critical role to play in finding solutions to challenges before the country. The committee also noted the “overwhelming success” of the Bharat Jodo Yatra and the wide participation of lakhs of people. “The Committee particularly appreciated the leadership of former president Rahul Gandhi, whose ‘Tapasya’, unfailing determination, and love for India and her people have been critical to the success of the Yatra,” the party said.
The Congress attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying while India faces challenges, he continues to “deny, distract and divide.” “His inflammatory rhetoric during the recent election campaigns in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh has further polarised the polity and society at a time when serious discussion and debate are needed,” it alleged.
Mr Kharge claimed Bharat Jodo Yatra has taken the form of a national movement, saying that it is scripting history under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi. “It is a movement that has called for a decisive war against the back-breaking inflation, unemployment, intolerable economic and social inequality, and the politics of hatred in the country,” he said The biggest success of this journey is that the Bharat Jodo Yatra has taken the form of a national mass movement, he said.
He also said it is the duty of Congress persons to fight against ruling forces that sow “seeds of hatred” and “reap fruits of division”. This is our ‘rashtradharm’, he added. Besides Mr Kharge, former party chief Sonia Gandhi, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, his Chhattisgarh counterpart Bhupesh Baghel, general secretary in-charge organisation Venugopal, senior leaders P Chidambaram, Anand Sharma, Meira Kumar and Ambika Soni were among those who attended the meeting.
Rahul Gandhi did not attend the meeting due to the Bharat Jodo Yatra which is set to enter Rajasthan on Sunday evening. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was also not present at the meeting.
