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NEW DELHI: For a CWC that took forever to be reconstituted, Congress managed to make a splash even with its delayed announcement, coinciding as it did with the birth anniversary of party mascot Rajiv Gandhi on Sunday. The two key events neatly dovetailed to amplify the focus on the organisation that, after a protracted crisis, has lately begun to nurse optimism.
The apex body of Congress lost some of its old sheen post-UPA, given that consecutive defeats in national polls, coupled with a barren patch in assembly contests, made it a veritable existential crisis. The Congress Working Committee (CWC) had ceased to be the most awaited announcement or reward from leadership.
But when party chief Mallikarjun Kharge did name the 39-plus-45-member body, the reactions, far from proforma appreciation, reflected profound gratitude. Shashi Tharoor, calling his inclusion in the CWC an “honour”, put things in perspective by recalling the “historic role” played by it in “guiding the party over the last 138 years”. Sachin Pilot, whose membership comes as part of a “peace plan” in his factional war in Rajasthan, appeared elated too. So did many more who found a place at the elite party table.
The ebullient mood stems from the renewed hope in the party that once appeared rudderless after Rahul Gandhi’s abdication post-2019 defeat, followed by an unending string of defeats. While Congress managed to oust BJP in Himachal Pradesh last November to end the drought, the big bang came in Karnataka in May where it routed the saffron party in the challenge led by PM Narendra Modi. At the same time, Rahul has plunged back into hyperactive mode, while the party’s success in planting itself as the fulcrum of the opposition alliance has boosted the morale further. Now, the chatter among the cadres borders on superstition, with Kharge’s elevation seen as an omen. Somehow, Congress workers believe the game is on.
Kharge since late last year prioritised the issues, firmly believing that election wins come before any internal action like organisational rejig. CWC could have been set up after the February plenary session, but the leadership decided to put all its energy on Karnataka. The calculation appears to have borne fruit, evident in the reaction to the CWC from the same leaders who were earlier despondency personified.
Sources said for the last two months, CWC has been stuck in negotiations between two key poles in the AICC. Also, it is learnt that Congress may not create the two new departments it had announced at the Udaipur chintan shivir last year – election management and public feedback. “The focus is back on elections. We will come out with party panels like the central election committee,” said a senior member.
The apex body of Congress lost some of its old sheen post-UPA, given that consecutive defeats in national polls, coupled with a barren patch in assembly contests, made it a veritable existential crisis. The Congress Working Committee (CWC) had ceased to be the most awaited announcement or reward from leadership.
But when party chief Mallikarjun Kharge did name the 39-plus-45-member body, the reactions, far from proforma appreciation, reflected profound gratitude. Shashi Tharoor, calling his inclusion in the CWC an “honour”, put things in perspective by recalling the “historic role” played by it in “guiding the party over the last 138 years”. Sachin Pilot, whose membership comes as part of a “peace plan” in his factional war in Rajasthan, appeared elated too. So did many more who found a place at the elite party table.
The ebullient mood stems from the renewed hope in the party that once appeared rudderless after Rahul Gandhi’s abdication post-2019 defeat, followed by an unending string of defeats. While Congress managed to oust BJP in Himachal Pradesh last November to end the drought, the big bang came in Karnataka in May where it routed the saffron party in the challenge led by PM Narendra Modi. At the same time, Rahul has plunged back into hyperactive mode, while the party’s success in planting itself as the fulcrum of the opposition alliance has boosted the morale further. Now, the chatter among the cadres borders on superstition, with Kharge’s elevation seen as an omen. Somehow, Congress workers believe the game is on.
Kharge since late last year prioritised the issues, firmly believing that election wins come before any internal action like organisational rejig. CWC could have been set up after the February plenary session, but the leadership decided to put all its energy on Karnataka. The calculation appears to have borne fruit, evident in the reaction to the CWC from the same leaders who were earlier despondency personified.
Sources said for the last two months, CWC has been stuck in negotiations between two key poles in the AICC. Also, it is learnt that Congress may not create the two new departments it had announced at the Udaipur chintan shivir last year – election management and public feedback. “The focus is back on elections. We will come out with party panels like the central election committee,” said a senior member.
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