NEW DELHI: The All India Congress Committee is expected to have some high profile changes in the organisation. The prime positions of General Secretary (Organisation) and General Secretary (Media) could come to be occupied by former Chief Ministers, say sources.
Sources claim that Rahul Gandhi wants Jairam Ramesh to resign from the position of media general secretary. Ramesh’s critics inside the party claim that this is because there have been several complaints against him from within the organisation. Other sources say that Ramesh wants to be considered for the post of General Secretary in charge of Northeast affairs.
The changes are likely to occur based on the feedback from party workers. Ramesh’s critics allege that he is not being able live up to expectations while countering the BJP, which may put the Congress on the back foot before the important Assembly elections in Maharashtra, Haryana and Jharkhand.There is also a buzz of K.C. Venugopal getting replaced. According to party insiders closely associated with Venugopal’s office, although Venugopal is very close to Rahul Gandhi but he himself wants to go back to Kerala to take charge of party affairs as state unit chief. A Congress leader in Kerala said, “Venugopal recently said in local language that he was not in the race to become the Chief Minister of the state but he certainly has ambitions. That is the reason he wants to come back to state politics so that he can control ticket distribution as the state unit president, and thus have more bargaining power for the appointment of Chief Minister of the Congress-led alliance if it wins the Assembly elections in 2026.”
A senior Congress Working Committee member said, “Rahul Gandhi looks for Venugopal everywhere he goes. He finds Venugopal loyal but is he the right man for the organisation? Nowhere in the country is there a state unit which has flourished under his watch.”
A surprising name that is circulating is that of Ashok Gehlot, to replace Venugopal. Gehlot had, some years back, rebelled against the Gandhis when he was running the government of Rajasthan as Chief Minister. A senior Congress leader said, “Right now Gehlot is not in good health but he is being considered for the position.”
Bhupesh Baghel’s name too is doing the rounds for the post of GSO. According to a party insider, “If Rahul wants to demit organisational responsibilities and focus on governmental issues, then only will Baghel be given the responsibility of handling the organisation as he is close to Priyanka Gandhi. Such an appointment will give bigger space to people who are close to Rahul’s sister in the organisation, subsequently reducing the role of people close to Rahul Gandhi.” Other sources say that all this will finally be Rahul’s call.