Sonia rejects move to effect organisational changes for now

NEW DELHI, OCT 15: Congress president Sonia Gandhi has decided not to effect any changes in the party's organisational structure at the C...

NEW DELHI, OCT 15: Congress president Sonia Gandhi has decided not to effect any changes in the party8217;s organisational structure at the Central or State level for the time being, the party8217;s poor performance in the Lok Sabha elections notwithstanding.

The indications from 10 Janpath are that the party should first get to the bottom of its disastrous performance before bringing about any major changes in the command hierarchy. It is in this context that Sonia is believed to have rejected moves to bring about the resignations of Chief Ministers and Pradesh Congress Committee PCC chiefs of Delhi, Orissa and Rajasthan where the Congress fared poorly in the elections.

Sonia is believed to have taken the view that removing someone from his post immediately after the elections would set off a chain reaction and a witchhunt in the party, something the party can ill-afford when its fortunes are probably at its lowest ebb.

The party president is said to have conveyed this to senior party leaders who have been meeting her over the last few days to discuss the post-election scenario. She has also asked the Chief Ministers and PCC chiefs of Orissa, Delhi and Rajasthan to continue in office.

Although as many as five All India Congress Committee secretaries 8212; Pranab Mukherjee, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Ambika Soni, S K Shinde and Oscar Fernandes 8212; and Congress Working Committee CWC menmber Vijayabhaskara Reddy, had put in their papers soon after the election results to enable Sonia to revamp the party, the Congress president has so far stayed silent on their resignations, indicating that she wants to maintain the status quo for the time being. Despite his reported resignation, Azad has been actively assisting Sonia in government formation in Karnataka, the State he was in charge of.

Remarked a senior party leader: 8220;The changes, if any, in the party organisation will be brought about only in a phased manner8230; at the moment there is considerable pressure on the president to first consolidate her own leadership within the party, which has come under stress after the poll debacle.8221;

To counter the call by several party leaders for a 8220;generational shift8221; in leadership 8212; in plain words sacking of the old guard which forms the coterie around her 8212; Sonia has done three things she feels will quieten things for sometime. First, the acceptance of responsibility for the electoral defeat, second, the institution of an introspection committee to analyse the causes of the poor performance, and lastly the announcement to hold organisational elections at the earliest.

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Whether this will be enough to keep several vocal leaders quiet remains to be seen but for the time being the more pressing problem for Sonia is to settle the issue of leader of the party in the Lok Sabha. With less than a week to go before Parliament is convened, there is still no word from 10 Janpath as to who will lead the party in the Lok Sabha and be leader of the Opposition.

Party leaders say there is considerable pressure on her from loyalists to nominate two senior leaders as deputy leaders for assistance and floor management. In case she decides not to take up the post, the names of senior party leaders 8212; Madhavrao Scindia and P M Sayeed 8212; are doing the rounds in party circles as those best suited for the job.