Strengthening its grassroots levels and giving district units a greater role in candidate selection — that’s what the Jharkhand Congress unit is doing to fortify its own state unit, months after the party was able to retain its seats in the assembly polls, The Indian Express has learnt.
According to state Congress leaders, the Congress’s national unit has called a meeting to discuss how the party’s district presidents can play a greater role in state politics, including involving them in committees for screening election candidates. The meeting, which Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge will chair and which Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is expected to attend, is part of a series of meetings that the party is holding with all state units.
This comes months after the state’s assembly elections when the INDIA bloc, of which the Congress was a part, was able to retain power – winning 56 of the state’s 81 seats. Significantly, the Congress won 16 seats – the same number it won in 2019 – and is currently a junior partner in the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha-led state government.
Jharkhand Congress Chief Keshav Mahto Kamlesh told The Indian Express that the meeting will focus on involving the party’s district presidents in central election and screening committees.
The idea, according to Kamlesh, is that while district presidents have always played a role in the organisation, the meeting will focus on “decentralisation” to strengthen the organisation’s grassroots.
“For many years, they have played a crucial role in nominating the names of MPs and MLAs during elections. However, this meeting will give them an additional responsibility of screening candidates,” he said.
Jharkhand Congress spokesperson Rajesh Sinha said all of the state’s district presidents will be present at Thursday’s meeting at the Indira Gandhi Bhavan in New Delhi.
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“Preparations are underway for the All India Congress Committee (AICC) meeting to be held in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, on April 8 and 9, where all 30 members of the Jharkhand unit will be present. Meetings are already ongoing with various state units to focus on better coordination and resource support at the district level,” he said.
According to Sinha, district presidents have always played an important role, especially in strengthening the party, right down to the panchayat levels.
“Since 1970, it’s been the role of the district presidents to promote the names of the MLAs and MPs before the election. Even today, this norm and structural strategy are continuing,” he said.
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