M A I N   N E W S

Cong brainstorming session begins today
KV Prasad/TNS

In a huddle The three-day Jaipur meeting will dissect threadbare five subjects: emerging political challenges, socio-economic challenges, India and the world, women empowerment and organisation strengths The Congress-led coalition has been shaky and under severe attack for the last two years on several fronts, including corruption Nearly half the delegates at the brainstorming exercise will be under the age of 45, an indication of the altering demographic approach towards challenges The meeting will end on Sunday with the AICC ratifying distilled views that will be firmed up as resolutions

Jaipur, January 17
Congress leaders of the present and future will don their thinking caps to analyse the trends and trajectory of politics, economy and international challenges staring the country and party and craft policies to cater to emerging scenarios beginning Friday.

Led by Congress president Sonia Gandhi, 350-odd delegates will gather in Jaipur for a three-day closed door ‘Chintan Shivir’ (brainstorming camp) and by the end of it on Saturday come up with suggestions for the direction the party should take in the years to come.

The event is also seen as a stage for Rahul Gandhi, who heads the party’s 2014 Lok Sabha poll coordination panel, to demonstrate a hands-on approach in formulating policies for the Grand Old Party at a time when the age profile of the electorate is going down.

A decade after a similar exercise at Shimla, the Congress decided the time was ripe to go into a collective huddle and dissect threadbare five subjects -- emerging political challenges, socio-economic challenges, India and the world, women empowerment and organisation strengths.

The 2003 Shimla meet determined secular alliances as imperative for the political renaissance of the party that was voted out of power in 1996. A rejuvenated Congress dexterously wove a fine coalition fabric that allowed it to regain power in 2004 and retain it five years later.

Despite returning with renewed vigour, the Congress-led coalition has been shaky and under severe attack for the last two years on several fronts, corruption and scams being the main battering ram in the hands of the people and the Opposition.

Compounding the woes is the inability of the party and its leadership to get a grip over the new trend among the young, educated and urban-oriented sections of society of taking to the streets to protest corruption and poor law and order. Concerns over the safety of women were accentuated after the brutal gang rape of a 23-year-old physiotherapy student in Delhi in December.

While there are stray theories of “unidentified forces at work” behind the social media-triggered unrest, Congress leaders -- both young and old -- will have to realise the need to engage with the forces in a manner that addresses their concerns in an effective and efficacious manner, without being officious and high-handed. That modern tool of technology has literally transformed the world flat, empowering everyone who has access to it, but it needs to be harnessed in an innovative manner.

While the government struggles with finances, the party is keen to expand subsidies for the poor. At Jaipur, the effort would be to strike a balance and implement subsidies through a better delivery mechanism.

Nearly half the delegates at the brainstorming exercise will be under the age of 45, an indication of the altering demographic approach towards challenges. Those heading the five sub-groups are leaders with standing and years of political experience.

If senior leader AK Antony heads the group on emerging political challenges, Digvijay Singh is tasked to lead the one on socio-economic challenges. Anand Sharma will present the draft on ‘India and the world’ while Ghulam Nai Azad will take care of organisational issues. Girja Vyas will be responsible for women empowerment.

The Jaipur meeting will end on Sunday with the All India Congress Committee ratifying the distilled views that will be firmed up as resolutions.