Some Congress leaders want Venugopal to go

NEW DELHI: As the Assembly elections in Karnataka are over, all eyes are on the formation of the Congress Working Committee (CWC), Congress’ highest decision making body. There may also be replacement and shuffling of its existing set of general secretaries. A section of Congress leaders say the change in organisation general secretary is indispensable. The position is currently held by K.C. Venugopal.
Party insiders claim that since Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is resigning as the in-charge of Uttar Pradesh, there is more possibility that she may take over as General Secretary organisation. Her appointment as General Secretary will make sure that there is one Gandhi officially in the Congress. A leader said, “She has played a crucial role in Karnataka. Her speeches have made a difference there and also send a strong message that she is firmly standing behind Rahul Gandhi, which has reinforced Rahul Gandhi as a command centre. And her coming at the centre will change a lot dramatically. It may rejuvenate the whole Congress cadre and make the party more aggressive.”
A party insider close to the leadership said, “K.C. Venugopal hasn’t done anything significant lately if we see how responsible his role is. He has most of the times tried to accompany Rahul Gandhi purposelessly. That is because he may not be wanting to do core job of the organisation, but only try to be in good books of Rahul Gandhi. With that he has damaged the party enough. How many meetings has he held? How many times has he been in touch with the state leaders who have been struggling? Has he made any policy as to how the Congress should lay out policy or strategy for electoral contests? He has failed in doing so all the time.”
He added, “Moreover, if there is a replacement and that leader is from Hindi heart land it would be easy for leaders from north to communicate. They will feel more comfortable talking to a leader who speaks Hindi and is willing to give his or her time to organisation by being in the office and listening to people which Venugopal has failed to do most of the time.”
A section of analysts believe that by appointing Venugopal, voters from the southern side were consolidated by the Congress and the southern hemisphere is the only area where the Congress is still better off compared to the north. Venugopal comes from Kerala and Congress had won 15 Lok Sabha seats out of the 20 there in the last general elections, which is the most from any state. Replacing him would need a better strategic person in his place. It should be better and the one who can take charge of things.
The general secretary (organisation) is a very powerful post in the Congress party. Venugopal, 55, comes from Kerala and then Congress president Rahul Gandhi had appointed K.C. Venugopal as the general secretary (organisation) replacing Ashok Gehlot who was appointed the Chief Minister of Rajasthan.