Congress to have massive organisational rejig: Venugopal

AHMEDABAD, April 8:  AICC General Secretary KC Venugopal said today The Congress is going to have a “massive organisational reshuffle”,as the party’s top leaders met here and vowed to embark on the “path of social justice” espoused by Sardar Patel.

Briefing reporters after the Extended Congress Working Committee meeting at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Memorial here, Venugopal noted that the Congress has dedicated this year to a complete restructuring of the party organisation and the issue was discussed at length at the meeting.

“We are going to have a massive organisational reshuffle, and there will be guidelines for the same. Our general secretaries and incharges are on it,” he said.

Venugopal also stressed that measures to empower the party’s district unit chiefs will be rolled out soon.

“We have already decided on that issue. Empowering the DCC presidents, and duties and powers of the DCCs have been discussed in various forums. Already general secretaries and in-charges have approved the proposals and we are going to roll out that proposal in the near future,” he said while replying to queries.

Venugopal said the Extended CWC passed a resolution that “our party will walk on the path showed to us by Sardar Patel-ji”.

“He stood up against the oppression of the British, fighting for the rights of workers and farmers. He rejected communal forces after Bapu’s assassination. He fought for an India where everyone had fundamental rights and freedoms.

“Today, as we embark on the path of social justice, our Nyay Path follows the same principles laid down by Sardar Patel,” he said.

 Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge In his opening address at the meeting, also asserted the party’s claim to Sardar Patel’s legacy and accused the BJP and RSS of trying to usurp it under a “well planned conspiracy” against national heroes.

Kharge stressed that the Congress is taking forward the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi and Patel.

He also tributes Sarder Patel Saheb by saying, “Sardar Patel Saheb lives in our hearts, lives in our thoughts. We are taking his legacy forward. We have organised this CWC meeting in Ahmedabad at Sardar Patel Museum with this thought in mind. We pay our heartfelt tributes to him,”.

Earlier in the day, AICC General Secretary Sachin Pilot told reporters that the Congress intends to create more empowered district units with their presidents having enhanced accountability, responsibility and political strength.

He said that the Congress would fight the upcoming elections with strength and expressed confidence that the Congress and its supporting ideologies would come together to give the BJP and the NDA a tough challenge.

“The intention of the Congress President and the Leader of Opposition is to create a more empowered district unit.” Pilot said while briefing reporters outside the venue.

“The accountability, the responsibility and the political strength that we have thus given to the district presidents is set to be enhanced,” he stressed.

The final outcome will be decided after the convention on Wednesday but the intention of the Congress is to make the District Congress Committee (DCC) presidents more empowered than before, the former Union minister said, adding, the move is aimed at expanding the party’s reach in villages, divisions and booths.