In an apparent move to quell dissidence within the party, Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi shall on Saturday be meeting some of her associates, who in August had written a letter to her demanding certain remedial measures to energise the organisation. The move, which is aimed at bringing about reconciliation, comes nine days before the 135th anniversary of the grand old party. According to sources, the signatories to the letter have also softened their position a bit and had approached former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath to mediate and request Sonia to hear them out. As is the Congress tradition, the meeting may begin with all those present re-affirming their full faith in the leadership of the interim president, who has been at the helm of affairs virtually for the past 22 years. Ordinarily such an interaction would have been arranged by Ahmed Patel, who passed away recently, and it is evident that the High Command is also very keen to let bygones be bygones and begin a new chapter. There are indications that Kamal Nath, who has been with the Congress for over 50 years, and has worked closely with all the Gandhis, could be entrusted with a greater responsibility in the party. It is also obvious that Rahul Gandhi, who had quit as the president, taking moral responsibility for the parliamentary poll debacle, is still reluctant to accept the key position, although his mother is continuously trying to persuade him.
Saturday’s meeting assumes significance since the internal organisation elections of the Congress are scheduled in the next few months, and the Election Authority would shortly be freezing the voters’ list. The dissidents have been demanding that the AICC president should be elected along with members of the Working Committee to weed out dead wood. They also want that the Congress Parliamentary Board should be re-constituted for wider consultations on issues that are confronting the country. The feeling within the party is that while the style of politics has changed and the country has witnessed transformation, the Congress continues to be pursuing politics that is redundant. The time when leaders could wave their hands and move forward has come to an end. What is needed is that the party should concentrate on taking on the might of the BJP at the micro and macro levels as also counter its technological capabilities.
Many of the dissidents, who have enjoyed pivotal positions within the organization, are also unhappy with the manner in which the party has been run. With Ahmed Patel, Sonia’s main troubleshooter, gone, there is nobody to listen to the grievances of the party workers in order to convey them to the High Command. The mechanism of receiving the feedback has to undergo a drastic change. A new political architecture has to be put in place. However, the general view is that the party must move on and look towards the future with confidence, and under the leadership of a person who can carry everyone with him or her. A tall order under the circumstances. The outcome of Saturday’s meeting would determine the direction the Congress may take in the New Year.