Old guard will give Congress a new lease of life

New Delhi: The Congress will chalk out its strategy for the big 2024 electoral battle with the help of experienced leaders and veterans of the party. The upcoming “Nav Sankalp Chitan Shivir” (brainstorming session) to be held at Udaipur in Rajasthan will present a spectacle of older leaders back in action again.
The party interim boss Sonia Gandhi’s some decisions last week have dropped ample hints that the Congress has reposed faith in the old guard. No new experiments will be carried out in the party, and also no internal fight will be tolerated. Strict action will be taken against those spoiling the positive atmosphere. Sonia Gandhi has already taken action against such elements in Kerala and Punjab. The party has appointed Bhupinder Singh Hooda’s confidant Udaybhan as Haryana PCC chief, signaling that only leaders with strong mass base will be given importance. In Haryana, only Hooda has wider support among MLAs and other leaders. That’s why the party has not done any new experiment in the state. Kuldeep Bishnoi may be upset with the party, but the leadership is not going to give him importance.
Similarly, the high command gave a strong message to those who were trying to plant news in a bid to destabilise the Gehlot government in Rajasthan. It was at the instructions of the high command that the media cell head Randeep Singh Surjewala in a tweet message raised serious objection over speculation of change of guard in Rajasthan. It was a clear message that “sponsored and fake” reports should be stopped. This has given more strength to Gehlot. The high command has decided that Gehlot will lead the party during polls in Rajasthan. Similarly, Chhattisgarh and MP polls will be contested under leadership of Bhupendra Singh Baghel and Kamal Nath respectively. The reports were being planted despite this that Gehlot may be changed. Learning its lessons from Punjab, the high command will not take any risk by changing CMs in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. What was surprising was that reports were still

in circulation warning the high command that if CM was not removed in Rajasthan, the party would face a Punjab like situation. This, despite the fact that a brainstorming session is being held under the supervision of Gehlot in Rajasthan where key decisions will be taken. Taking a serious note of the same, the high command took strong action against those spreading rumours. Such leaders will be given a warning during Chintan Shivir, sources said. Gehlot along with state in charge Ajay Maken will be finalising preparations for the venue at Udaipur soon. But some leaders were on the job spreading fake news that he is unstable. However, the agenda for the shivir is already set. Rahul Gandhi will be the pivotal figure during the Udaipur Shivir just like the 2013 Jaipur session. Rahul Gandhi had been made vice president during the Jaipur session after which he ascended to the post of president. He, however, resigned from the post in 2019. Rahul Gandhi will again be persuaded to take over the presidential responsibilities. On behalf of senior leaders, Gehlot will put a proposal for the same. Even the dissenters want Rahul Gandhi to take charge and lead the party strongly. Frontal organisations from various states have already sent proposals to make Rahul Gandhi the Congress president. However, the organisational elections are underway and the party presidential polls will take place in August-September. So, the leaders may move a proposal only. It is said that Rahul Gandhi may accept the proposal this time.
Another important feature of this session will be that the old guards will give their suggestions for the strategy for 2024 Lok Sabha polls. In 2014, the young team of Rahul Gandhi was behind strategy which came a cropper.
Now, it is for the first time when both the old guards and younger generation leaders will be chalking out strategy together. The focus will be on how to win state polls ahead of general elections, and then Lok Sabha elections. Issues will be finalised for which six committees have already been formed. Earlier, what was the practice was that a central committee along with sub committees used to be formed.
The central committee then used to approve the recommendations of the sub committees. Now, the CWC may act as the central committee. It is indicated that Congress may distance itself from communal issues. Farmers, price rise, unemployment, will be the issues to be pursued by the Congress. There will not be any significant change vis-à-vis alliance politics. The party may give a strong message on faction fighting in states. The party’s focus will be on making a united effort to win state elections ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.