The big question is whether Rahul Gandhi himself is willing to come back as the party president or not. Is he or is he not interested in leading the Congress? According to the party sources, leaders who are considered close to him have told other party leaders privately that Rahul has finally relented and agreed to return as the Congress President through a proper election in the plenary session, which will be held in the month of February this year. But most of the senior Congress leaders want Sonia Gandhi to be elected as the Congress president in the session. Meanwhile, the youth — especially in Northern India —want to see Priyanka Gandhi as the party president.
ABSENCE OF LEADERS AT 24 AKBAR ROAD KEEPS WORKERS DEMORALISED
After the hue and cry by 23 Congress dissenters, whose letter to Sonia Gandhi urged for a full-time party chief, most of the Congress general secretaries are absent from the party’s 24 Akbar Road office. Only a few are coming daily to attend the office and meet party workers. With the appointment of AICC treasurer, the 72-year-old senior leader Pawan Kumar Bansal is regularly attending the office and meeting various party workers and leaders, trying to solve their grievances. Another leader who can be seen regularly in the office is Ajay Maken, General Secretary in-charge of Rajasthan. It seems that the letter of senior Congress leaders to party president Sonia Gandhi has had no impact on the working of the Congress. While the biggest agitation by the farmers is going on and the upcoming assembly elections in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal, Assam and Puducherry are right ahead, the absence of office bearers indicates that nobody is interested in boosting the morale of the Congress workers who are fighting on the ground.
CONGRESS TO PROJECT LATE TARUN GOGOI’S SON AS CM FACE IN ASSAM
In the upcoming assembly election of Assam, the Congress will form an alliance with the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) and the CPM to fight against the BJP in the state. According to Congress sources, the party may project the late Tarun Gogoi’s son Lok Sabha MP Gaurav Gogoi as the CM face to get the sympathy wave in favour of the Congress-led front. The aim of projecting Gaurav Gogoi as the CM face for Congress is to present before the electorate the contributions made by the late Tarun Gogoi during his long tenure of fifteen years as the chief minister of Assam before the people.
CONGRESS SET TO AGGRESSIVELY REBOOT MAHARASHTRA STATE UNIT
The reorganisation plan in Maharashtra is said to be part of the attempt to revive the Congress party and to present a more aggressive face. The Maharashtra Congress is set to undergo a leadership change with the current state unit president and Revenue Minister Balasaheb Thorat having been asked to tender his resignation. According to sources, he has offered to resign. Among the top contenders for the post of State unit president are ministers in the MVA government Nitin Raut (Power), former Maharashtra Congress chief Manikrao Thakre and former chief minister Prithviraj Chavan. Congress MLAs and MLCs from Maharashtra have been directed by the top brass to present their opinions in selection of a new State president of the party. State Congress in-charge H.K. Patil will meet the elected representatives to seek their feedback.
EYE ON 2022 POLLS, PRIYANKA GANDHI KICK-STARTS MISSION UP
Congress General Secretary and in-charge of the party’s Uttar Pradesh unit, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, is all set to kick-start ‘Mission UP’ with an eye on the 2022 assembly polls after setting the house in order at the state and district level. Gandhi has decided to camp in Lucknow after the plenary session of Congress party on a regular basis and will be spending most of her time there. According to sources close to Priyanka Gandhi, she has asked party workers to strengthen the party at the Nyay Panchayat level, form committees for the same and hold meetings. Along with this, state office bearers have been appointed as observers. (IPA)