‘Outsiders’ out,Cong turns to state leaders for revival

Sources said the party is planning to make senior leaders of the state in-charge of Lok Sabha constituencies. Each leader will look after five Assembly constituencies. They will be responsible for reviving block-level committees,coordinating between young workers and old Congressmen and at the same time act as a point for all party workers to share their grievances.

Only leaders who themselves would not be seeking tickets to contest the Lok Sabha election will be given this responsibility. The aim is to focus on taking the cadre along,rather than putting them on the sidelines,as happened in the Assembly elections.

The party had then appointed 10 observers who were given charge of about 40 Assembly constituencies each. These observers were all from other states,and they were given the responsibility to check the background of probable candidates,suggest names,collect feedback,monitor party campaigns in their areas and suggest changes.

The system failed as party workers complained they could not connect to the observers,who did not understand or fully appreciate local issues and problems. Moreover,because of a large number of 40 constituencies under each one of them,none of them was able to devote enough time to any constituency.

Now,the party is planning to make a senior leader in charge of each of the 80 Lok Sabha constituencies,and the five Assembly constituencies within it. “These leaders would be ex-MPs,ex-ministers,senior people of the cadre who are respected and trusted within the party. The party has realised that taking along the cadre is most important for revival. The idea would be to ensure that there is a two-way communication between these leaders and workers. While they will be available for the workers to listen to their grievances,workers will also listen to them”,said a senior party leader.

The subject was discussed at a meeting of select senior leaders,which was called by AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi recently in Delhi,sources said.

On Sunday,the party announced that the new state president Nirmal Khatri would take charge on September 11 in the presence of all MPs,MLAs and senior party leaders in Lucknow. Changes in the organisation at the state level will begin after Khatri takes over.