In a meeting that saw the participation of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, a senior leader had told party’s organisation general secretary K.C. Venugopal about the discontent and unrest among Himachal Pradesh MLAs, say sources. However, apparently, no precaution was taken by Venugopal, which resulted in the Congress failing to secure the otherwise winnable Rajya Sabha from the state, with six MLAs cross voting against party candidate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, which resulted in his defeat.
Complaints are that Venugopal is disproportionately involved in Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra. Senior leaders assert that his unwillingness to meet leaders at the All India Congress Committee (AICC) headquarters has resulted in the “non-fulfilment” of organisational duties ahead of the general elections.
However sources close to Rahul Gandhi assert that despite voices against Venugopal’s expanded role, there is no cause for concern as whatever is happening is with the consent of the party president and Rahul.
A senior leader in Congress said, “Such allegations are often made with mischievous intentions. Venugopal is meeting leaders.” But many senior leaders suggest that most of the senior office bearers of the party are not doing their job. A leader said, “The in-charges are not in the head office. Or those who are needed at the head office are not present there. Whose responsibility is it to ensure that the organisational work is run smoothly?”
A senior official at AICC alleged, “Vamshi Reddy is the secretary to K.C. Venugopal and you can see his office always closed, or we can say he is not present there at all. Even though he is required to be here often. He is the one who manages the work of Venugopal.”
The Sunday Guardian tried to contact Vamshi Reddy, however there was no response from him. A senior leader close to Kharge told The Sunday Guardian, “No, I don’t think that Venugopal is absent from the AICC. This Yatra was anyway going to be a hybrid Yatra; he has been at headquarters himself. It was decided at first that Venugopal would go with Rahul Gandhi. Everything in the organisation is going smoothly, all the meetings and all the events.”
Another source close to Venugopal said, “Name a day Venugopal has not been at the office? He is working to close all the gaps in the party. It is being spread by vested interests that he is always with Rahul Gandhi.” However, despite the presence of Venugopal at the party headquarters, according to senior leaders, there is no final point of contact in AICC for leaders who rely on the decisions of the high command.
It is said that a leader in need of the high command’s resolution has to make triangular run between Rahul Gandhi, K.C. Venugopal and Mallikarjun Kharge. The lack of coordination is perceived to have led to further erosion of Congress committees, leaders deserting the party and above all, a demotivated cadre. A senior leader said, “K.C. Venugopal is responsible for organisational work, for changes wherever is needed, appointment of leaders in the organisation, in AICC as well as state cadres but many positions in the party are still vacant.”
A section of leaders close to the leadership has another complaint against Venugopal. A leader who sits in AICC said, “Whatever paper is coming to Venugopal from the party president’s office, goes on hold. This is the reason why the revamping of the organisational structure is getting delayed.” However, sources also say that in the inner political circles of the party, a lobby has emerged to try and dislodge Venugopal from his position. It is believed, by top sources, that there are two main competitors, who are currently holding prominent positions in the organisation (and are close to Gandhis), who could be pushing to establish themselves in place of Venugopal.
And to bring that into reality, it is assumed that there is, within the party, some kind of stir from them. A CWC member while seeking anonymity said, “These things keep on happening in a big party like Congress. If Venugopal is an organisation general secretary right now and there is a buzz that a lobby is pushing to change him, tomorrow let’s assume they change him, the other one who will take the position will also face the same thing. These things keep on happening. This is part of the system.”
But replacing Venugopal is adjudged to be a near impossible task. A person privy to the developments said, “There may be many leaders against him now; they are trying to put concerted efforts to remove him. But he will remain in that position until Lok Sabha elections.” Aditya Rathi, an analyst tracking north Indian politics, said, “In a few states, there is neither clarity among the top warring leaders nor are there efforts to resolve the internal matters. Resolving matters in the organisation should be top priority but Congress has, time after time, failed to do that.”