The body will have ultimate powers to decide on matters related to elections, on the lines of the CWC.
New Delhi
After the announcement of the Congress’ top decision decision-making body, the Congress Working Committee (CWC), the grand old party is planning to set up an election body which will have ultimate powers to decide over matters related to elections.
Sources said that the idea is still being formulated and once the discussions over it materialise, the body will have powers to overturn decisions at the national level and can also intervene in appointments made for Pradesh Committees of the party. As a party insider said, “Right now, the general secretary organisation K.C. Venugopal is dealing with the appointments. He manages all the Pradesh Committees and seeks feedback from them. He does follow-ups. He can take follow up even from chief ministers. He directs leaders to do certain jobs. But the decision- making is in the hands of Kharge. Moreover, there are many strong leaders in the party who do influence changes favourable to them and thereby a strong election body will be able to limit those influence. It will be a separate body which will be more powerful than the CWC in functioning.”
There is also a perception within the party that it (election body) would be designed in such a way which would mostly constitute leaders who have experience of how the elections are fought on the ground to all the way up where the organisational skills and acumen are needed. Sources pointed out that the AICC president Malikarjun Kharge is in favour of such a body as he (Kharge) knows the importance of such leaders who have risen through the ranks from the bottom of the political ladder through their political and electoral understanding, who can, therefore, offer their political services in leveraging the party.
A party spokesperson said, “The body will have a more objective approach on the routinely held electoral exercises and thereby be more active than all the other bodies that have been constituted. The purpose of its existence would be to make the party’s election machinery stronger, better and progressive and above all help the grand old party win elections. Since the political parties seek to win elections, it will be the core body for winning elections, which will make it more powerful than any other committee. It can also make rapid changes to any Pradesh Committee if it doesn’t find it working efficiently.”
Though, leaders privy to the developments suggested that the idea is to get it implemented as soon as possible. But, consequently, there is also seen resistance from a section of senior leaders who think the new body will limit their powers within the party.
The Sunday Guardian called several senior leaders in the party; however, they were reluctant to speak on the matter while as others did not know about the formation of the body. A political analyst tracking national politics said, “If the new body is to be made and there is resistance from a section of senior leaders, it would mean that the body will be much smaller than the CWC.
It could be made up of a handful of people who have had experience in contesting elections on ground and will also have the nod of Rahul Gandhi. It could also help the party shed its old guard who are not in the play or have been advising the top leadership wrongly or inappropriately.”