Veteran Congress leader and former Union Minister Ram Niwas Mirdha was handpicked by Sonia Gandhi to head the party's Central Election Authority which she set up when she became Congress President in 1998 to ensure free and fair organisational polls. With the party in the midst of organisational elections - the first to be conducted by the CEA - Mirdha is in the thick of things. He took time out from his busy schedule of sorting out thousands of complaints and counter complaints to speak to SANJIV SINHA on his job of taking the party through the polls smoothly. Excerpts:Why is there so much controversy about the party's organisational polls? It wouldn't be correct to say that. The polls are proceeding as planned except for some minor changes in some states due to local factors. Getting a party like the Congress which has an all-India presence to go to polls is not easy. it requires the mobilisation of office-bearers and party cadres across the country.But the membership drive, which was given several extensions, has been lacklustre and came down quite a bit compared to the last one in 1997. Is the party losing grassroots support?In the past, we witnessed in some parts of the country that there were more Congressmen than the number of votes we polled. this time we have tried to be as genuine as possible. There were proper scrutiny committees which heard objections and rejected memberships. Hike in membership fee was another dissuading factor.But how do you explain the fact that in several states such as Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, both the primary and active membership has come down almost by half. It cannot just be explained away by bloated and genuine membership.It’s a fact that we have performed better, membership-wise, in the states where we are in power. In states where the party has been out of power, one of the reasons for poor membership could have been an element of demoralisation among the cadre what with no immediate prospect of elections or the party returning to power in sight.The CEA was set up to ensure a free and fair election to rejuvenate the party. But increasingly the CEA's role is getting marginalised, with a section of senior leaders blatantly indulging in getting their men on key posts such as PROs is pressure from partymen and senior leaders to get their men in various positions. But our Pradesh Returning Officers (PROs), who have been delegated the powers by me, are resisting such moves. Obviously the DROs and BROs will owe allegiance to some leader or the other but this doesn't mean that they are being appointed by them.But what about reports that Arjun Singh and Vincent George together were behind the appointment of PROs in some key states.NATURALLY, in the process of appointing them I consulted all the leaders including Arjun Singh but let me tell you, I have had the last word in the appointment of the PROs. I have tried to keep the poll process away from the influence of most partymen including the AICC general secretaries in the poll process.But the run up to the polls hasn't been very smooth. There is rampant infighting in several states and complaints of fictitious membership and partisan politics. All this appears to have affected the credibility of the CEA.YES, there is a problem. The partymen have not yet reconciled to a systematic method of elections. The last party poll (of 1997) was perhaps the most glaring example of manipulations at all levels and in the light of their earlier experience, a sense of cynicism has set in among partymen that this time's elections too will be stage-managed. This is also one of the reasons for poor membership this time. It has been one of my most difficult tasks to convince them that things will be different this time.What about allegations of backroom manipulations to plant DROs to fix certain leaders and ensure the victory of others.THE rush for DROs and BROs among senior leaders is perhaps to ensure they get a place in the Congress Working Committee (CWC). Senior leaders want their own DROs because they think that like last time their selection will be a one-sided affair with backroom manipulation. To prevent any bungling by DROs, this time round it has become mandatory for them to declare results only after they are countersigned by the PROs. But most complaints are due to local factors. In UP, there were complaints regarding appointment of DROs so I have asked the PRO and other officers to reconsider the entire list taking into account the complaints.Will there be a contest for the Congress president's post.IT'S too early to say. But I think most senior leaders are jockeying for positions in the Working Committee rather than trying to contest for the Congress chief's post. Of course, anybody in the party can stand for the party president's election.You have made several statements in support of Sonia Gandhi. Don't you think given your task to conduct free and fair polls, that is unethical.Whatever opinion I expressed on the Congress president was made in my personal capacity and in response to questions from the media. If my opinion interferes in my job as CEA, I am not worth it.
