Youth wing revamp hits roadblock in Cong belt

“The central zone is certainly important and Pankaj Tiwari was selected through a rigorous process. So we do not want to take any chance this time,” said a senior leader of the state Youth Congress.

It is to be noted that Tiwari was the product of a talent hunt,which was conducted last year to select presidents for the four zones of state Youth Congress. After the Lok Sabha elections,the wing was set to constitute its zonal working committees for expanding its reach till the grassroots-level.

The youth wing is now also thinking to do away with a second round of talent hunt for selecting the central zone president. “We are thinking to directly hold the elections rather than launching a fresh talent hunt. But this will take at least six months time,” the senior leader added.

For the state Youth Congress,its central zone unit is very important since the area has sent seven MPs,including Congress president Sonia Gandhi and party general secretary Rahul Gandhi,to the Lok Sabha in the last general elections. With the Congress planning to consolidate its base further in the region,it has become very important for the party’s youth wing to strengthen its organisational structure.

“No one has been identified so far who can be given the charge of heading the central zone. We are yet to decide on how to go ahead with the expansion activities in this zone,” said Virender Rathore,the general secretary of the Youth Congress who is in-charge of the Uttar Pradesh unit. The problem with the youth wing is that it is finding difficult to get a new face whose age is less than 35 years.

The remaining three zones of the state Youth Congress will,however,soon get their new working committees. “Since the formation of committees for other three zones is in process,and they will be set up within this month,” Rathore added.