Lok Sabha poll lost, Congress mulls organisational overhaul in Himachal

Subhash Rajta

Shimla, June 12

Following the third consecutive drubbing at the hands of BJP in the Lok Sabha elections, the Congress is likely to overhaul its organisational set-up for better results in the future.

The Congress Legislative Party (CLP), which met here today under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu for the first time after the Lok Sabha and the Assembly bypolls, felt it was high time that inactive officials were replaced with more enthusiastic and dedicated workers in the party. Also, the proposal of one-person one-post was discussed in the meeting.

Bypolls: Names of candidates soon

• The CLP also decided that one minister should be available once a week in the party headquarters to meet the party workers
• “It will further strengthen the coordination between the party and the government,” the sources said
• The CLP expressed satisfaction at the results of the Assembly bypolls, which the party won 4-2
• The names of the candidates for the upcoming three Assembly bypolls are likely to be finalised in a couple of days

“There are many individuals who are holding a post in the government as well as in the party. It was felt that the individual concerned would be able to do a better job if he’s holding just one post,” said party sources.

The Congress has drawn a blank in the last three Lok Sabha elections despite having its government in the state on two occasions, in 2014 and 2024. Though the Congress managed to increase its vote share from 27 per cent to 41 per cent this time, the BJP still won all four seats comfortably. “The Modi factor, the Ram Mandir and the Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojna were identified as the major reasons for the defeat in the Lok Sabha elections,” the sources said.

The CLP also decided that one minister should be available once a week in the party headquarters to meet the party workers. “It will further strengthen the coordination between the party and the government,” the sources said. Besides, the CLP expressed satisfaction at the results of the Assembly bypolls, which the party won 4-2. The names of the candidates for the upcoming three Assembly bypolls are likely to be finalised in a couple of days.

In the meeting, the CLP passed a resolution that action would be speeded up against those who tried to topple the government. The CLP also reposed faith in the leadership of Sukhu. The CLP also passed a resolution to thank people and party workers for their support, which led to the Congress winning four out of six seats in the Assembly by-elections.