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Cong plans revamp to revitalise party New Delhi, April 24 The ministers being mentioned in this connection are Rural Development minister Jairam Ramesh, Law Minister Salman Khurshid, Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vyalar Ravi. Azad and Ravi denied writing such a letter. In any case, Azad is already AICC general secretary in charge of Andhra Pradesh.
Irrespective of the fact of these letters, all senior Congress admit that the organisation is set for a major revamp in the coming weeks. Although long overdue, the reshuffle has acquired urgency after the party’s dismal performance in recent elections. The Congress president has set up a three-member committee, headed by Defence Minister A.K.Antony, to look into the reasons for these electoral reverses and suggest corrective measures. The other members of this panel are Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde.Although the panel is yet to submit its report, the feedback which it has received so far points to the weakening of the party organisation in the states and the overwhelming perception that the UPA government is in the grip of a policy paralysis. This has led to the all-round realisation that the party urgently needs the infusion of fresh ideas as it seeks to reposition itself in the run up to the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. Congress insiders maintained that the revamp in the organisation could be accompanied with changes in the government as Sonia Gandhi has a limited talent pool at her disposal. It was also indicated that the Cabinet reshuffle may also become necessary in case the UPA has to make more space for its allies who are being wooed assiduously at present in view of the upcoming Presidential election. Given the present strength of the various parties in Parliament and assemblies, the Congress has necessarily to get its allies and supporting parties on board to forge a consensus on President Pratibha Patil’s successor. The Congress has to get its house in order in the coming months as it prepares for the Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh assembly polls by this year-end. This will be followed by polls in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and New Delhi at the end of 2013 which will set the stage for the general elections. Although the BJP has been in power for two terms in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, the Congress has not proved to be an effective opposition, having failed to expose the state government’s misdemeanours thanks to the internal squabbles in the state units. The Congress was able to wrest Rajasthan from the BJP last time but the Ashok Gehlot government is fast loosing its sheen. Similarly, the three-term Sheila Dikshit government in Delhi also looks shaky. The results of the recent civic elections are a clear indication that the urban voter is disenchanted with the Congress and is looking at alternatives.
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Ravi said he had met the Congress president recently to brief her on the situation in Andhra Pradesh with regard to the upcoming bye-elections in the state. Jairam Ramesh, who met Sonia Gandhi this evening at her official residence, was non-committal when questioned about such a letter. Khurshid, it is learnt, had written to the Congress president soon after the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections to apologise for not living up to her expectations and offering to undertake any assignment given to him.