Hands full, Cong may go slow on celebration plan

The Congress may put off its two-day July session to celebrate the party’s victory in the LS polls. Earlier, the session was supposed t...

The Congress may put off its two-day July session to celebrate the party’s victory in the LS polls. Earlier, the session was supposed to coincide with the Budget Session of Parliament, beginning July 5. The timing had been particularly chosen to give party workers a chance to mingle with the ministers and MPs, ‘‘enthusing the cadre about returning to power at the Centre’’.

The session was also seen as an opportunity for first-time MPs, including Rahul Gandhi, to interact with AICC office-bearers, besides as a platform to rejuvenate major planks like youth, employment and poverty-alleviation related issues. But now, sources say, the session has been postponed because of ‘‘lack of time’’ for preparations, and also due to absence of office-bearers.

All the AICC office-bearers had tendered their resignations when Congress president Sonia Gandhi had refused to accept the PM’s post in May. Besides, several senior general secretaries and members of the Congress Working Committee were inducted into the Council of Ministers. In the coming days, the high command is also expected to choose leaders to handle future elections, especially to the assemblies of Maharashtra and Haryana, after assessing the party’s performance in the Lok Sabha elections. Thus, a total revamp of the AICC will be necessary before a party session is held.

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Besides, the leadership has too many contentious issues to deal with, before it can afford to bask in its poll victory. The forthcoming Budget Session promises to be stormy, with the Opposition sure to raise the issues of ‘‘tainted’’ ministers and dismissal of governors.

Next, the deadline for downsizing ministries, July 7, is drawing close.

The Congress-led government in various states will be in need of the high command’s advice before preparing the list of ministers to be axed. All these activities will leave little time for the actual preparations for the session. Sources also say that another roadblock is the unavailability of a venue for the session in New Delhi.

The Talkatora Stadium, which was the original choice, is booked for the whole month.

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