Congress facing problems with bogus membership

The issue was debated by the Future Challenges Group of the Congress, which has finalised its report on intra-party reforms.

Sources said the leadership has started addressing the problem by removing two types of membership 8212; active8217; and 8216;primary8217; 8212; and keeping just one kind of membership.

While a section has been advocating elections at all levels and doing away with the nomination culture, members felt that the issue of bogus membership has not found a remedy. This was because party leaders used the method to have a hold on the organisation, they said.

It is even said by party veterans that the Congress has got lesser votes in Uttar Pradesh in the past decade or so than the workers it has in the politically key state.

In fact, when the late Sitaram Kesri was the observer for the organisational elections in the state during Indira Gandhi8217;s time, the popular saying was: Na Khata, na Bahi, Jo Kahe Kesri, Wahi Sahi. It meant that without any proper records and register about membership, Kesri8217;s was the last word.

A section of leaders, however, is sounding a note of caution on going whole hog with the prescription of having elections at all levels, apprehending that moneybags can have control over the organisation in such a scenario.

The Future Challenges Group headed by senior leader M Veerappa Moily has also suggested bringing in more transparency in the organisational structure of the Congress and turning it into a cadre-based party.

8220;We are a mass-based party rather than a cadre-based party. But we have to build a cadre, starting right from the booth committees, to respond to the people8217;s wishes and to keep the electorate better informed about what the Congress is doing for them,8221; Moily said.

AICC General Secretary Rahul Gandhi, who is a member of the group, has spoken for the need for doing away with nomination culture.

As the party faced electoral reverses, some leaders suggest that the Congress should adopt the tactics and techniques of the UK8217;s Labour Party that revived itself under the leadership of Tony Blair after years on the Opposition benches.

A committee headed by Union Minister A K Antony has also been asked to do a quick job in suggesting how to re-energise the organisation as the Congress is racing against time, with a series of elections lined up, including that of the Lok Sabha.