Latest news with #SangathanSrijanAbhiyan
Indian Express
4 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Delhi Confidential: Sweet offering
DMK's Arun Nehru, a first-time MP from Perambalur, has a sweet trick to make new friends in Parliament. The 41-year-old is popular among Opposition benches for his delicious homemade chocolates that he generously distributes among his colleagues. Nehru is also promoting a small venture — Kocoatrait, which makes ethically sourced zero waste bean-to-bar chocolates — from his constituency. He says it's one way of supporting a sustainable and circular economy. Nehru's sweet offering has won him praise from the Treasury benches too. While he has introduced some NDA MPs to his homemade delights, the DMK leader says he is still amassing courage to go to the senior leaders. He recently offered a few chocolates in different flavours to Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, who said he relished each one of them. Overhaul On Cards Ridden by factionalism, the Haryana unit of Congress may soon get new District Congress Committee (DCC) presidents under the party's Sangathan Srijan Abhiyan (organisational rejuvenation campaign). The party had kickstarted the organisational overhaul in Gujarat, where it appointed new DCCs in June. It recently sent observers to Haryana and Madhya Pradesh to oversee a similar exercise. Sources in the Congress say they are not sure when the Madhya Pradesh appointments will be finalised, but in Haryana the revamp will begin in the next few days. The party high command has meticulously gone through suggestions made by the observers, and will soon announce the appointments. In party circles in Haryana, meanwhile, speculation is rife about which faction — former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda or party MP Selja Kumari — will have more people among the new DCCs. Old Office, New Role Senior forest service officer Gobind Sagar Bhardwaj, who was till recently a member secretary of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), returned to his former institution — the Wildlife Institute of India — as its director. Bhardwaj had earlier served as a scientist and faculty at the autonomous wildlife research body and has moved there after a one-year stint at NTCA.
News18
19-07-2025
- Politics
- News18
Jharkhand Cong initiates process to set up panchayat-level committees
Ranchi, Jul 19 (PTI) Jharkhand Congress president Keshav Mahto Kamlesh on Saturday said the party has initiated a process to set up committees at the panchayat level. He said block-level committees have already been set up. 'There will be 12 members in a panchayat committee, comprising president, two vice presidents and nine general secretaries," Kamlesh said, addressing the party's 'Sangathan Srijan Abhiyan' (organisation rejuvenation campaign) and training programme here. Kamlesh said mandal committees will also be set up once the exercise of constituting panchayat committees is completed, as the president of the panchayat committee will be a member of the mandal committee. The event was attended by block presidents, block observers and mandal presidents of Ranchi and Khunti districts, besides senior party leaders and state ministers. The party's appointment letters were also handed over to the newly appointed mandal presidents on the occasion. 'The block presidents, observers and mandal presidents will visit villages and speak to the people and elected members of panchayat committees to know about the issues. Constituting a panchayat committee is a tough task, as we have to find persons who are fully devoted to the Congress," he said. 'We held a workshop on PESA in Ranchi. A model PESA law will be implemented," he added. Kamlesh said that the party is also fighting for the inclusion of Sarna religious code in the upcoming Census. PTI SAN SAN ACD (This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed - PTI) view comments First Published: July 19, 2025, 17:30 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
India Today
17-07-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Can Congress's Haryana revamp serve as its template for other states?
After years of organisational drift, the Congress in Haryana is attempting a structural reset that could determine whether it remains electorally relevant in the part of its 'Sangathan Srijan Abhiyan' (Organisational Rejuvenation Campaign), the party is set to appoint a new crop of District Congress Committee (DCC) presidents across Haryana—for the first time through a semi-democratic, consultative high command is expected to finalise and announce the new district chiefs by the end of July. According to B.K. Hariprasad, AICC general secretary in charge of Haryana, the party has received feedback from all districts. 'Some districts sent two to three names, others five to six. The observers have done interviews, and deliberations are on,' he eligibility criteria for DCC presidents include at least five years of party work and being in the age group of 35-55. However, caste representation and district-level political suitability will also play a decisive role. Party insiders say the AICC observers—appointed in coordination with the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC)—conducted extensive interviews with shortlisted candidates, assessing their ideological alignment, ability to counter the BJP-RSS narrative and potential to unify faction-ridden local units. Special emphasis was laid on including women, minorities and grassroots organisers with credibility beyond the party the first week of June, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi made a brief visit to the Haryana Congress headquarters in Chandigarh to convene a meeting of a 17-member committee, comprising senior state leaders and AICC officials. Among them were former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Haryana PCC chief Uday Bhan, Lok Sabha MP Kumari Selja, former Union minister Birender Singh, and Rohtak MP Deepender reportedly urged them to rein in factionalism. Subsequently, the AICC appointed 22 observers, including MPs and former ministers, to work alongside the 51 Haryana PCC-appointed observers to assess aspirants across marks the first time in over a decade that the Congress is methodically rebuilding its organisational pyramid in Haryana. Earlier attempts floundered. When Rahul loyalist Ashok Tanwar was the state unit chief, the Hooda camp resisted; when Kumari Selja and later Uday Bhan took charge, factionalism continued to plague the process. The 2024 assembly polls exposed the underbelly of a defunct organisation, with the BJP managing an improbable win—securing 48 seats in the 90-member the overhaul was inevitable. In the past, appointments were largely top-down—decided by the state Congress president in consultation with the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader. This time, however, the exercise carries the imprint of Rahul's push for internal reform, catalysed by his visit to Chandigarh after the party's electoral Congress appears to be adopting a hybrid model—partly democratic, partly high command-driven. It resembles the BJP's older practice of appointing district presidents based on ground-level feedback from RSS-aligned workers but retains Congress's penchant for top-down endorsement. Whether this becomes a durable template remains to be the Congress is rolling out similar Sangathan Srijan Abhiyan exercises in Gujarat, Odisha, Himachal Pradesh and other states where the party faces organisational atrophy but harbours electoral ambition. Haryana, with its history of alternating governments and caste-based polarisation, could serve as a pilot model for this new approach to internal the surface of this rejuvenation effort, however, lies an unspoken tension: the Congress high command's unease with Bhupinder Hooda's continuing dominance in Haryana. His loyalists currently account for 32 of the party MLAs and four of its five Lok Sabha MPs. PCC chief Uday Bhan is also from the Hooda camp. Yet, the high command has conspicuously left the CLP leadership post vacant, refusing to officially confirm Hooda as its is growing apprehension in Delhi that Hooda may continue to treat the Haryana unit as a political fiefdom, restricting the rise of new voices and alternative power centres. The central leadership is wary—its unplanned removal of Captain Amarinder Singh as Punjab chief minister in 2021 led to a party collapse and paved the way for the Aam Aadmi Party's aftershocks of that misstep echoed in Rajasthan (where Ashok Gehlot resisted pressure), Chhattisgarh (with Bhupesh Baghel's dominance), and now Karnataka, where balancing Siddaramaiah's influence remains a this context, the Haryana reboot is being viewed as a test case of whether the Congress high command can assert itself without alienating powerful regional satraps. Political observers in the state are watching closely: will the new DCC appointments reflect Hooda's continued influence or signal a shift toward a broader, more inclusive mandate from Delhi? Once the list is made public, it will serve as a litmus test for assessing the strength of the Hooda camp in the restructured the new DCC chiefs are not just symbolic. According to party sources, they will have the power to recommend election candidates—though they themselves must resign from their DCC posts at least 18 months prior if they wish to contest. This makes them pivotal figures in candidate selection and grassroots mobilisation for the Lok Sabha and assembly elections in yet, scepticism persists. 'This looks good on paper, but we don't yet know whether the final list will reflect ground realities or be reduced to political tokenism. If Delhi imposes names without genuine local consultation, it could backfire,' a senior Congress leader from Haryana once-formidable BJP-JJP (Jannayak Janta Party) combine is now history. The BJP contested and won the 2024 Lok Sabha and assembly elections on its own. In a bid to revive their fortunes, the Dushayant Chautala-led JJP and uncle Abhay Chautala-led Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) are looking at how Congress deals with an ageing Hooda, 77. The Chautala family competes with Hooda for the dominance of Jat voters. This bloc could easily shift towards them if the Congress doesn't plan the transition is perceived that the BJP's Nayab Saini government takes cues from Saini's political guru and predecessor Manohar Lal Khattar and that decision-making is dominated by a group of bureaucrats. Thus the Congress senses an unless the new DCC chiefs can overcome the legacy of internal sabotage, caste tokenism and organisational apathy, they may end up as placeholders rather than powerbrokers. For the Congress to mount a credible challenge in 2029, these appointments must go beyond symbolism. The Congress's future in Haryana may hinge on whether this quiet overhaul results in genuine grassroots mobilisation or fizzles out as yet another aborted experiment in to India Today Magazine- Ends advertisement
Indian Express
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Amid organisational overhaul, Haryana Congress likely to announce new district chiefs by July-end
The Congress's Haryana leadership is eagerly awaiting the party high command's final nod for the candidates who shall be appointed as the District Congress Committee (DCC) presidents across Haryana as part of its 'Sangathan Srijan Abhiyan (organisational rejuvenation campaign)'. 'We shall announce the district Congress chiefs by the end of July. The panels from all the districts have been received. Discussions are going on. A few of the districts have only sent two-three eligible candidates, while others have sent five-six eligible candidates per district,' B K Hariprasad, the Congress's Haryana in-charge, told The Indian Express. On the eligibility criteria for the post of district Congress president, former Rajya Sabha MP Hariprasad said, 'The DCC chief should have worked in the party for at least five years and should be in the age group of 35-55 years. These two are the primary factors. Caste factor and suitability of the candidate in each district will also be taken into consideration.' Observers appointed by the All India Congress Committee (AICC) and the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC), who travelled across the state to collect feedback, have prepared panels comprising at least six eligible candidates in each of Haryana's 22 districts and sent them to the party high command. But the total number of district presidents may exceed 22, Hariprasad said. 'Ambala may have three district presidents, one each for cantonment, urban and rural. Similarly, a few other districts are also likely to have more than one district president, one each for urban and rural, depending upon the population and geographical dynamics of that particular district,' the Haryana party in-charge said. The eligible candidates, according to the party sources, have already undergone interview sessions handled by the AICC observers. The interviews focused on candidates' ideologies, strategies against the BJP and RSS, factional unity, representation of minority communities and women in key roles, and grassroots outreach in their respective districts. For over a decade, the Congress has not had an organisational setup at the district and block levels in Haryana. This exercise to appoint DCC chiefs is a first for the party; earlier, district presidents would be appointed by the Haryana Congress chief in consultation with the state Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader. Party sources said while finalising the district presidents, the party high command is keeping two major factors – caste and competence – in mind. 'For instance, the Parliamentary constituencies of Ambala and Sirsa are reserved for SCs, thus candidates from the same caste will be given preference in the districts covered by the two constituencies. Similarly, Jat-dominated districts are likely to have Jat candidates, while OBC-dominated districts will have their candidate to represent the party there,' a senior party leader said. Since Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi's visits to Chandigarh in June, his first after the Congress's debacle in the 2024 Assembly elections, the party has been undergoing an organisational overhaul. The party's senior leaders, however, told The Indian Express that although they are expecting 'a visible restructuring of the party', they added 'it is yet to be seen what comes out'. 'So far, (the party high command) has not gotten in touch with us… It will be good if the party high command actually comes out with a democratically selected lineup in Haryana', a senior leader said. The DCC chiefs, who themselves will be ineligible to contest elections unless they relinquish their posts at least a year-and-a-half prior to a poll, will also have a say in the distribution of tickets in future elections, with the next Lok Sabha and Assembly polls to be held in 2029.
India Gazette
19-06-2025
- Politics
- India Gazette
Bosiram Siram appointed as new chief of Arunachal Congress
New Delhi [India], June 19 (ANI): Congress appointed Bosiram Siram as the President of Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee, replacing Nabam Tuki, with immediate effect. According to a press note, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge appointed Bosiram Siram as the President of Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee, with immediate effect. 'Hon'ble Congress President has appointed Shri Bosiram Siram as the President of Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee, with immediate effect. The party appreciates the contributions of the outgoing PCC President Shri Nabam Tuki,' the press note by Congress read. Bosiram Siram is a former Congress MLA from the Pasighat East Assembly Constituency. According to another press note by Congress, the party has appointed Manish Chatrath as the In-Charge of the Party Headquarters with immediate effect. Gurdeep Singh Sappal will continue to serve as the In-Charge of Administration in general. 'Hon'ble Congress President has appointed Shri Manish Chatrath as the In-Charge of the Party Headquarters with immediate effect. Shri Gurdeep Singh Sappal will continue to serve as the In-Charge of Administration in general,' the press note read. Manish Chatrath has previously held the posts of AICC In-charge for Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya. Sharing the development on X, Chatrath wrote, 'Humbled and grateful to the Congress leadership for entrusting me with the responsibility as In-Charge of AICC Headquarters. My heartfelt thanks to Smt. Sonia Gandhi ji, Shri @Kharge ji, Shri @RahulGandhi ji, Smt. @PriyankaGandhi ji and Shri @KCVenugopalMP ji for their faith in me. I shall try my best to discharge my duties to the best of my abilities.' Meanwhile, on Tuesday, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge approved the proposal for the appointment of Abhay Sahu as the Chairman of the Kisan Congress, Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee, with immediate effect. Last month, on May 31, Congress chief Kharge approved the appointment of 11 additional AICC Observers for Madhya Pradesh under the party's ongoing Sangathan Srijan Abhiyan. (ANI)
