Rahul may take bold steps as discontent brews

New Delhi: The Congress needs a real binding force to keep it running. If Congress leader Rahul Gandhi does not take decisive steps soon to revitalize the party organization, dissatisfied leaders may once again become vocal. According to sources, some leaders are expected to raise concerns about the party’s organizational structure during the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting on December 26 in Belgaum, Karnataka.

Currently, many leaders hold dual positions within the party, despite advocating for the “one person, one post” principle during the 2022 presidential election. Questions are also being raised about underperforming leaders, adding to the internal discontent. The CWC meeting in Belgaum has been scheduled to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi becoming Congress President. However, the event has sparked discussions about the party’s internal issues. A large rally is also planned for the following day.

Congress’s recent losses in Haryana and Maharashtra have been attributed to a weak organizational structure. Factionalism and leaders focusing on their personal networks instead of the party’s broader interests are seen as major reasons for these defeats.

Reports from Maharashtra and Haryana reveal surprising details about the Congress organization. In both states, there was a clear lack of coordination. Sources claim that in Maharashtra, the National President learned about the cancellation of his press conference from other leaders.

Rahul Gandhi is now expected to make tough decisions. Discontent over the party’s weak organization and delayed decision-making had already led to the formation of a group of disgruntled leaders in 2021, during a period of consistent electoral losses.

At that time, Rahul Gandhi operated unilaterally, without consulting other leaders.

In 2022, rising dissatisfaction prompted the party to organize the “Nav Sankalp” camp in Udaipur, Rajasthan, to address internal grievances. Several resolutions were passed, including a decision that office-bearers serving for over three years would step down. However, these promises were not kept. Instead of removing such officials, some were given even greater power, overshadowing National President Mallikarjun Kharge.

These influential leaders, now more powerful, seem to dictate the actions of Rahul Gandhi and his sister Priyanka Gandhi. They consistently align with the Gandhi family to safeguard their own positions. Their influence is seen as a key reason behind Congress’s recent losses in Rajasthan, Haryana, and Maharashtra, where winnable elections turned into defeats.

This has caused widespread resentment within the party, with speculation growing that these leaders might be acting deliberately to harm the party’s prospects.

A significant section of the Congress believes that implementing the Udaipur Sankalp is crucial to revitalizing the party and creating a “New Congress.” This would involve removing leaders who have held positions at the Congress headquarters for years.

During the Udaipur Sankalp camp, three key initiatives were announced. The most important was the formation of a Public Insight Department to establish direct communication with the public and party workers, with reports sent directly to the party president. The head of this department was to hold more authority than the general secretary of the organization. The second initiative was the National Training Institute, aimed at building a team to promote the party’s ideology and highlight government missteps. The third was the Election Management Department, designed to oversee elections from start to finish.

However, these initiatives never materialized. Influential leaders close to Rahul Gandhi blocked the creation of these departments and prevented any significant decisions from being implemented, leaving the Udaipur resolutions unfulfilled and ineffective. Even promises to include more youth in the party were sidelined. To divert attention from these failures, these leaders championed the INDIA Alliance but then imposed their own rules, reducing Congress to a secondary player within the coalition.

The party’s crushing defeats in two states exposed a lack of coordination and proper strategy, which was further evident during the winter session. The defeats, coupled with internal disarray, growing discontent among leaders, and the declining state of the organization, have created a volatile situation. The party now faces significant challenges in preparing for upcoming elections, with the risk that dissent could erupt at any moment.

Meanwhile, Priyanka Gandhi and her husband Robert Vadra appear to be carving out a separate path, focusing on backward-class politics and aligning with “Jai Bhim” rhetoric. This adds another layer of complexity to the party’s already precarious position.