The problem, according to a senior Congress leader, stems from the party’s over-reliance on the old guard while failing to give space to younger leaders. He said, ‘They should have brought in young players with every reshuffle.’
New Delhi: As the Congress party is expected to implement drastic organizational changes after the upcoming assembly elections in Maharashtra and Jharkhand, senior leaders express concerns about a “succession crisis” due to the lack of a robust second-line leadership.
According to a section of Congress leaders, this absence of strong successors is the primary reason for the delay in organizational changes within the party. They also suggest that replacements for two key positions—General Secretary (Organisation), currently held by K.C. Venugopal, and Media General Secretary, held by Jairam Ramesh—have been under consideration. However, finding suitable candidates for these roles has proven difficult.
A senior Congress leader at the AICC said, “The changes should have happened a long ago, but the management of the party does not have enough names who can be given important positions in place of those who they want to remove. In the past, they have tried to shuffle people at the top and given them other states. For example, many of the AICC general secretaries and in-charges have been shuffled and only a few have been brought in as fresh faces during the recent organisational changes. Even those who had not delivered anything at all were again given positions. Bhawar Jitendra Singh has not delivered much but he is still there as general secretary for a decade. Ghulam Ahmed Mir was seen to be worst worst-performing general secretary yet he continues to be in the role. There is no accountability.”
A political analyst added, “When the same leaders retain control, accountability within the party may weaken. Because they know, that even if they don’t perform, nobody is going to remove them. Subsequently, they swell in pride as well which disconnects them from the media, the public and the rank and file of the party. Grooming a second line encourages transparency and accountability, as emerging leaders bring scrutiny to current practices and potentially reform-minded perspectives.”
The Congress party also struggles with a lack of young or strong leaders who can mobilize support during elections, except Sachin Pilot. In contrast, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) boasts several regionally powerful leaders who effectively shoulder responsibilities, such as Yogi Adityanath and Himanta Biswa Sarma.
The problem, according to a senior Congress leader, stems from the party’s over-reliance on the old guard while failing to give space to younger leaders. He said, “They should have brought in young players with every reshuffle. For that party should have been constantly taking feedback from leaders who are performing well in their responsibilities. They should have been given promotions. The elevation based on merit would again have sent a positive message within the cadre and the leaders would have tried to perform on the ground. But in Congress, everyone knows that one gets a promotion if you are a loyalist of someone. Hard work and merit are not considered much.”
A political expert emphasised the importance of younger and emerging leaders, stating that they bring fresh ideas and perspectives crucial for adapting to changing voter needs. He added, “Young and emerging leaders tend to attract a broader, often younger, voter base. Without them, the party may struggle to connect with new demographics, particularly the youth, leading to a shrinking support base.”