Ending speculation, the Congress on Sunday announced that the election of its president would be held on October 17 and the winner would be announced two days later, saying it was the only party in the country to undertake such a democratic exercise. The party, which last held elections for the post in November 2000, has often faced criticism from the BJP over dynastic politics due to the Gandhi family’s control over its affairs. Sonia Gandhi is the longest-serving party president and holds the position except for a two-year term between 1998 and 2017-19. Rahul Gandhi took over.
The election schedule was unanimously approved in an online meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC) on Friday amid fresh turmoil in the party due to the sudden resignation of veteran letter Ghulam Nabi Azad and his stinging letter to the party. . In which he attacked Rahul Gandhi for “dismantling the entire advisory apparatus of the party”. Azad was part of a group of 23 dissident leaders who wrote to Sonia Gandhi in 2020 demanding massive reforms, including elections at all levels of the organisation.
The online CWC meeting was chaired by Sonia Gandhi, who is abroad for medical checkup. He was seen with former party chief Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who are traveling abroad with him. The notification for the elections will be issued on September 22, while the filing of nominations will begin from September 24 and will continue till September 30, the party’s Central Election Authority chairman Madhusudan Mistry told reporters after the CWC’s nearly 30-minute meeting.
The date for scrutiny of nomination papers will be October 1, while the last date for withdrawal of nominations will be October 8. If there is more than one candidate, voting will take place on October 17, while counting of votes, if Mistry said is necessary, and counting of votes and declaration of results will take place on October 19.
Party general secretary Jairam Ramesh said, “The election program which was put forward by Mistry, all the members of the CWC unanimously approved it without raising any questions or demanding extension of the date.” The Congress had announced in October last year that the election of its new president would be held between August 21 and September 20 this year.
Sources had earlier said that the Congress president’s election is likely to be delayed by a few weeks as the party is focused on the Kanyakumari to Kashmir ‘Bharat Jodi Yatra’ which begins on September 7 and some state units have not completed the formalities. Is doing. “Congress is the only party in which elections have been held at various levels and especially for the post of president and will continue to happen,” Ramesh said.
Addressing the press conference along with Mistry and Ramesh, AICC General Secretary Organization KC Venugopal said that the CWC reiterated its resolve to hold the Mehndi Par Halla Bol rally in New Delhi on 4th September and to start the Bharat Jodi Yatra from Kanyakumari on 7th September . Its continuation was followed by a resounding success. He said that the CWC wished Congress President Sonia Gandhi a full and speedy recovery.
Asked if the leaders are busy in the Bharat Jodi Yatra and whether voting will be an issue for them, Venugopal said arrangements will be made to ensure that all the delegates can cast their vote without any problem. The CWC meeting was held just two days after Azad’s resignation. The Congress, dealing with the fallout of a series of high-profile exits, including those of Kapil Sibal and Ashwini Kumar, has attempted to deal the latest blow by accusing Azad’s DNA of being “Modi-led” and linking his resignation to the party. Is. End of his Rajya Sabha term.
Among those present at the meeting were Anand Sharma, who was part of the G-23, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the party’s Central Election Authority chairman Madhusudan Mistry, KC Venugopal, former Union ministers Jairam Ramesh, Mukul Wasnik and P Chidambaram and Rajasthan chiefs. Minister Ashok Gehlot with his Chhattisgarh counterpart Bhupesh Baghel. The meeting came amid several leaders including Gehlot publicly encouraging Rahul Gandhi to return as party chief. However, uncertainty and suspense remain on this issue. Several party insiders say that Rahul Gandhi is firm on his stand that he will not be the AICC president.
Gehlot had on Wednesday tried to rubbish reports of him being the frontrunner for the post of Congress President and said last-minute efforts would be made to convince Rahul Gandhi to take over the reins of the party again. Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan on Sunday warned that the Congress will not survive if someone is made a “puppet president”.
On the discussion related to the names of Gehlot and some other leaders for the post of Congress President, Chavan asked whether the name of the President would be decided before the elections. The Congress leader, who was part of G-23, said, “Why are you taking the reverse route? You will confirm the name in advance and then conduct elections, does this ever happen? Hold elections, whoever has to fight, he will fight.” ,
“If backseat driving is continued by making a puppet president, the party will not survive,” he warned. Gehlot’s meeting with Sonia Gandhi triggered a discussion that the two would have discussed the possibility of him being the next party president.
Rahul Gandhi had resigned as Congress President after the party suffered a second consecutive defeat in the parliamentary elections in 2019. Sonia Gandhi who took over the reins of the party again as interim president had also offered to step down in August 2020 following an open rebellion by a section. The number of leaders, referred to as G-23, but was urged by the CWC to continue.
In the last election of 2000, Jitendra Prasad lost to Sonia Gandhi. Earlier, Sitaram Kesari had defeated Sharad Pawar and Rajesh Pilot in 1997.
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