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Indian Express
16 hours ago
- Business
- Indian Express
Only merit to count, not ‘links to so and so': Rahul Gandhi's message to divided Haryana Congress
In his first visit to the Haryana Congress headquarters in Chandigarh after the party's surprise loss in the Assembly elections eight months ago, Rahul Gandhi addressed the factionalism that is believed to have cost the party the polls. At a meeting where 17 top leaders of the AICC and PCC were present, Gandhi said workers 'who work for the party and not for a particular leader' should be identified for appointment to the organisation. The meeting was part of the Sangathan Srijan Abhiyan (organisation reorganisation campaign) that the Congress is conducting across the country. This meeting was followed by another held by Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition, with recently appointed AICC and PCC observers for the state. The observers are tasked with identifying party workers to create a cadre at the ground level. In Haryana, the Congress has not had an exercise for ground-level party organisation for 10 years. Factionalism has meant that since October 2024, it has not been able to even appoint a Leader of the Opposition for the Haryana Assembly. The leaders who attended the first meeting chaired by Gandhi included AICC general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal, Haryana Congress in-charge B K Hariprasad, Haryana PCC president Udai Bhan, former CM and ex-CLP leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda, former PCC presidents Birender Singh and Ashok Tanwar, Congress MPs Kumari Selja, Randeep Singh Surjewala and Deepender Singh Hooda, and former chairman of the Congress OBC wing Capt Ajay Singh Yadav, among others. A source said that Gandhi emphasised that 'no recommendations, no affiliations (to any leader) will be taken into account while creating the organisational cadre'. 'He also made it clear that any harm to the party due to factionalism will not be tolerated, and that the recently appointed observers would look for party workers who work in the interest of the party, have allegiance to the party's ideologies and not because they are blue-eyed of any particular party leader.' Party leaders said Gandhi had asked the observers to identify 'hard-working party workers' who come from a humble background and are active in their respective districts. After the meetings, Hariprasad told a press conference that the Congress will announce its district presidents before the end of June. 'Earlier, we used to first announce the CLP leader and PCC president. But, this time we shall first announce the district presidents. Each district will have a panel of six persons from whom one shall be chosen as president. Ideally, the district president should be in the age group of 35 to 55 years old.' Asked about the factionalism within the Haryana unit of the party, Hariprasad said it 'has no place in the Congress party's future journey'. 'If anybody is found indulging in (this), due action shall be taken.' Hariprasad also said that party leaders or workers who had quit in the past due to any reasons 'are welcome to join back'. 'The party will focus on SC/ST women to give them due representation in leadership roles. Those who do not believe in the RSS or BJP's ideologies will also be welcomed in the party.' Udai Bhan appreciated the time given by Gandhi 'despite his tight schedule' – his meeting with top leaders went on for three hours – and the fact that he had heard out everybody. 'Having an organisational cadre at the ground level is of extreme importance and there should not be any further delay in creating it.' Capt Yadav told The Indian Express that Gandhi told them that 'observers who have been appointed by the AICC are coming to Haryana from diverse backgrounds and political positions', and that they would work in coordination to select district presidents 'purely on merit'. After the meetings, Gandhi left for Chandigarh airport with Venugopal, Surjewala and Selja.
The Print
a day ago
- General
- The Print
Haryana: Rahul to hold meetings with party leaders
The 17 Congress leaders will give feedback on reorganisation of the party unit. Gandhi, who arrived here this morning, would hold a meeting with 17 senior leaders that include former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, former HPCC chiefs, general secretary Kumari Selja and senior leaders Randeep Singh Surjewala and MP Deepender Singh Hooda. Chandigarh, Jun 4 (PTI) Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will on Wednesday hold meetings with senior party leaders from Haryana and AICC-appointed observers as part of an organisation rejuvenation campaign. The Congress has not had a district-level organisation in Haryana for the past 11 years and Gandhi's visit is to set the process in motion. The party has also been out of power in Haryana for the past over a decade. The Congress has appointed the observers for appointment of the District Congress Committee presidents in Haryana. Senior Congress leader B K Hariprasad, the in-charge of party's Haryana affairs, told reporters here on Monday that the process to appoint the district presidents will be completed in one month. Gandhi, who is the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, will also hold another meeting with the AICC-appointed observers. Earlier on Tuesday, Gandhi had visited Bhopal as part of the 'Sangathan Srijan Abhiyan' (organisation rejuvenation campaign). PTI SUN VSD DV DV This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
India Gazette
a day ago
- Business
- India Gazette
"Rahul Gandhi's efforts brought caste census to forefront": MP Congress Chief Jitu Patwari
Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh) [India], June 4 (ANI): Madhya Pradesh Congress President Jitu Patwari on Tuesday praised the enthusiastic reception given to Congress leader and Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi during his visit to Bhopal, describing him as the 'hero of the caste census.' He credited Gandhi's persistent efforts to bring the issue to the forefront and influenced the Centre to consider the demand for a caste-based census. 'The way the citizens of Madhya Pradesh welcomed the hero of the caste census on the streets of Bhopal was unprecedented. Also, the way Congress workers welcomed Rahul Gandhi here was very touching. I am proud of my leader who proved the saying true, 'the world bows down -- what it needs is someone who can make it bow',' Patwari told ANI. When asked about the ongoing 'Sangathan Srijan Abhiyan' and whether it could help the Congress return to power in the state, Patwari expressed strong confidence. 'We are political workers and have a political party. It is the responsibility of every political party to serve the public after getting in power. 500 per cent sure we will be in power and serve the public as well,' he added. As part of the Congress' organisational strengthening efforts, Rahul Gandhi visited the state capital on Tuesday to lead various meetings and programs under the 'Sangathan Srijan Abhiyan' (Organisation Rejuvenation Campaign). After the meeting, senior Congress leader Kamal Nath stated, 'There was enthusiasm among all the Congress workers -- this is proof that the Congress is strong and all theses (workers) believe in Rahul Gandhi. He explained all the details about how the party will be rejuvenated and AICC appointed observers will engage with everyone to ensure that the right District Congress Committees are formed.' Congress MLA Jaivardhan Singh, son of senior leader Digvijaya Singh, described the campaign as a mission to build grassroots leadership across the state. 'The message is very clear, 'Sangathan Srijan' is a mission through which observers have been appointed from AICC and their sole responsibility will be to visit districts and bring in new people, especially from major towns. The focus is on preparing strong leaders -- horses for the long race -- and making them active through this mission,' Singh told ANI. He further thanked Rahul Gandhi for investing time in Madhya Pradesh Congress and expressed confidence that the initiative would significantly strengthen the party in the state. Additionally, Congress leader Sajjan Singh Verma added that Rahul Gandhi's Bhopal visit was entirely focused on internal party matters and leadership renewal. 'Rahul Gandhi's visit to Bhopal today was entirely focused on party affairs and party rejuvenation. His speech made it clear that from now on, District Presidents will not be appointed based on recommendations. Instead, strong and capable individuals will be elected -- those who will have the authority to distribute tickets for the councillor, Assembly, and Lok Sabha elections. Such will be the power of the new District Presidents,' Verma said. (ANI)
India Gazette
a day ago
- Business
- India Gazette
"Need to differentiate between race horse, wedding horse, and langda horse": Rahul Gandhi on plans to revamp party's Madhya Pradesh unit
Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh) [India], June 4 (ANI): Seeking to revamp the party's Madhya Pradesh unit as part of party's Sangathan Srijan Abhiyan, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday used the example of horses to differentiate between workers and leaders who are slogging for the party and those who are not and need to retire. Rahul Gandhi, who is Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, first illustrated the difference between a 'wedding horse' and a 'race horse' and how state sometimes party leaders fit one for the other, resulting in total mismatch and electoral losses. He also talked of 'unfit horses' and on the need for tired party leaders to make way for younger lot. He said those who cannot slog should not remain there as stumbling blocks. 'Now we have to differentiate between a race horse and a wedding horse and lame (langda) district president has come here, and there will be some of you who work for the Congress party with full strength and there will be some who are a little tired or who are not in a good mood, who are taking too much tension. Now we have to differentiate between a race horse and a wedding horse. Earlier, I used to say that there are two types. Kamal Nath had said that the Congress party sometimes sends a race horse to the wedding procession and sometimes makes the wedding horse stand in the race line. But there is a third category, which is a lame (langda) horse, so we have to differentiate. We have to retire the lame horse, so this change has to be brought,' he said. Congress has faced successive electoral defeats in Madhya Pradesh. Rahul Gandhi talked of empowering the district presidents, making them a fulcrum of party's revival. He gave an inkling of the work expected from the new district chiefs. 'The new district president will be different from the previous will measure their performance in an objective way, whether votes are increasing in local body, MLA, and MP elections. Wherever there is an attack on Congress ideology, if a Dalit, Adivasi or backward class, poor general caste woman is beaten up or suppressed, if Congress party is standing there or there is a good relationship between worker and leader,' he said. (ANI)
New Indian Express
2 days ago
- Business
- New Indian Express
Rahul Gandhi paying floral tribute to former PM Indira Gandhi in Bhopal without removing his shoes triggers controversy
However, a video shared by State Congress chief and former MP minister Jitu Patwari shows Rahul taking off his shoes before offering tributes to the Late PM. CM Mohan Yadav said, 'The Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha is here, everyone is welcomed here in a democracy. But offering floral tributes to his grandmother without even taking off his shoes did not go down well. It isn't in line with our tradition and culture.' Reacting to the CM's remark, the state Congress's media wing head Mukesh Nayak said, 'We are not people who do too many rituals... throwing dust in the eyes in the name of sanskar, promoting religious fanaticism in the country in the name of sanskar, making fake people wear fake clothes and stand in the public in the name of sanskar... such times have ended in India. The public is fed up with it, Now there is only one thing: to create an egalitarian society and to think about everyone's development by keeping an inclusive approach. This is the ideology of Congress.' Notably, the Congress party has suffered successive drubbings in the 2023 assembly and 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Madhya Pradesh is the second BJP-ruled state after Gujarat, where the Congress is launching the Sangathan Srijan Abhiyan. Rahul Gandhi will hold a series of meetings with the state party's Political Affairs Committee (PAC), the MLAs and ex-MPs and the observers appointed for individual districts under the Sangathan Srijan Abhiyan. He will also address the party's functionaries and workers from across the State, before leaving from Bhopal in the evening.
