Congress’ appointments for media department remain stalled, awaiting final approvals from high command.
New Delhi: The Congress party is set to announce a list of new appointees for its media department, including spokespersons and media panellists. However, insiders indicate that the list has been finalised but is currently stalled within the party’s hierarchy.
A party insider said, “It has been more than six months when the murmurs had started doing the rounds that the media list will come out this week. Weeks have passed, and months have gone by, yet the list remains absent. Whenever Assembly elections are held, we get to hear that the list will come out after the elections conclude. So many elections have taken place but the list is yet to come out.”
The usual process by which the names get formalised, begins with the preparation of a list that has the names of the leaders who are chosen for a particular role (panellist or spokesperson) within the media department, then the Media and Publicity Department Chairman, Pawan Khera, sends the list to the General Secretary of Media, Jairam Ramesh, after which the list is directed to the General Secretary of Organisation, K.C. Venugopal. The list is then presented in front of Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge for the final approval. However, according to party insiders, Rahul Gandhi has shown interest in choosing candidates for the positions in the media department himself. Therefore, Gandhi will also go through the list for final approval
A party insider said, “ Rahul Gandhi requested that a list be prepared, along with a brief introduction for each individual, written in five or six lines. It would be easy for him to recognise people this way. He has also said that he will scrutinise the names himself. He will do the research with the help of his research team. Alankar Sawai does all the research for Rahul Gandhi. The list will be released after the research is complete from his side.”
He added, “The research would be done by Kharge’s affiliate Syed Naseer Hussain, if the final call is to be taken by Kharge. Hussain is the one who does the research for appointments if Kharge has to take the decision.”
Some leaders think that the list has already been prepared but is awaiting approval from the high command.
A leader privy to the developments said, “The list has progressed from its initial stage but has become stuck somewhere along the way. Now it is expected that the list will soon be announced.”
However, other leaders think that Jairam Ramesh would get replaced, after which the new general secretary will form a fresh list of spokespersons and panellists. Apart from the media list, the party will also appoint or replace General Secretaries in Delhi, Punjab, Rajasthan, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Tamil Nadu and Telangana.
Some of the current general secretaries will either be replaced and some others will be assigned different states. According to a senior Congress leader, new leaders will also be given opportunities, such as Challa Vamshi Chand Reddy, former secretary of K.C. Venugopal.
A Congress insider said, “There is also a search for two leaders who can replace the top two positions of General Secretary of Organisation and General Secretary of Media in the Congress. When the Gandhis find someone fit to helm these two positions, Venugopal and Ramesh will get replaced. Ashok Gehlot is in pursuit to become the GSO, but the Gandhis are contemplating if he is fit for the role.”