NEW DELHI: On Friday, the Congress made the much-anticipated organisational changes by replacing most of the All India Congress Committee (AICC) secretaries and joint secretaries. Experts note that the new appointments include increased representation for Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) in key positions.
Secretaries and joint secretaries assist the respective AICC General Secretaries and in-charges with organisational tasks. A senior leader in the communication department commented, “Venugopal ji would have a better understanding of the arithmetic behind the appointments. However, the principle seems straightforward: loyalty and commitment to the party have been rewarded. Those who have worked for the party were recognized, and social justice has been served with representation from backward communities and women.” Attempts by The Sunday Guardian to reach KC Venugopal for comment were unsuccessful.
Insiders believe that the new appointments may not be closely tied to the party’s powerful leaders but have been chosen based on merit. A political observer with two decades of experience tracking the Congress party told The Sunday Guardian, “Most of these names are not well-known. Many are relatively unknown faces. If we scrutinise the criteria used for these appointments, it appears that long-standing loyalists who have been with the organisation for the past five to seven years have been let go, resulting in an almost entirely new team.”
Some leaders close to the top leadership speculate that KC Venugopal may have exerted influence over the selection process. A senior leader remarked, “These appointments were facilitated by KC Venugopal, and the selected individuals were then interviewed by Rahul Gandhi. It is plausible that Venugopal had significant influence over these appointments.”
Additionally, sources close to General Secretary in-charge and Gandhi family loyalist Randeep Singh Surjewala suggest that none of the new appointees are connected to Surjewala, supporting claims that Venugopal played a significant role in the selections. A leader close to Surjewala commented, “It seems Venugopal has managed to please everyone except Surjewala, possibly because he sees Surjewala as a direct competitor and is attempting to diminish his influence within the party.”
Several senior leaders believe that the changes will provide opportunities for second-line leadership to gain experience in key administrative roles and better understand the functions of general secretaries and in-charges. A senior Congress leader stated, “There is now greater clarity among the second-line leadership.
They can be more politically active, and it will also signal that the leadership is focusing on organisational development rather than solely on enhancing Rahul Gandhi’s image.
Currently, the party’s grassroots organisation has eroded significantly, and we have become overly reliant on Rahul Gandhi’s image.”