The Congress is considering enforcing the ‘One family, one ticket’ formula with the exception only when another family member has been working for at least five years in the party.
The party is also considering capping at five years holding of a post with a cooling off period of three years and setting up of an assessment wing to monitor performance of office bearers.
The ‘One family, one ticket’ formula however leaves all three major players- Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (who formally started working for the party in 2018) eligible to contest. Critics view that the new move comes as a cosmetic change rather than the needed overhaul.
Addressing a press conference ahead of the start of the party’s ‘Chintan Shivir’ on Friday, Congress general secretary Ajay Maken said “big changes” are in store for the party organisation and it will completely transform its working style going forward.
He said a proposal is being considered that 50 per cent party positions be reserved for those less than 50 years of age in party committees at every level of the Congress organisation. He added that there is unanimity on establishing mandal committees between booth and block level in party organisation.
The party will make mandal committees on every 20 booths, and each block will be having five to ten mandal committees.
On the ‘one family one ticket’ demand, only those who have worked for five years in the party will be given priority. However, the Congress will not discuss the issue of party presidentship as the process is on for the elections.
(With agency inputs)
