[ad_1]
NEW DELHI: Rahul Gandhi told the Congress Working Committee meeting called on Sunday to discuss the recent electoral debacle that the party will focus on the youth in future, given the demographic profile of the country, and stressed that it is the way to go forward – a remark that has left many partymen baffled given the nature of challenges facing the party.
Senior member Jairam Ramesh brought up the youth factor while arguing that the party has to focus on this group to renew its appeal. The discussion in the meeting revolved around the rout suffered by the party in the recent polls in five states.
Responding to Ramesh’s strategy, AICC general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra added that the party gave 60% tickets to men and women below the age of 45 years in the Uttar Pradesh polls.
According to sources, Rahul agreed with the argument and said youth will be the focus in future. He also remarked that BJP can be defeated in the coming Gujarat elections if the party moves forward with a good strategy.
However, a day after the brainstorming, it was clear that the line of argument had left many CWC members confounded. While loyalists feel that the solution propounded by Rahul was tangential to the real challenges facing Congress, the dissident group G-23 appeared to take it as a swipe at them.
The feeling in the ginger group is that the argument from the younger Gandhis was a rebuff to the concerns expressed, and suggestions offered, by them. Given that the leading lights of the bloc are veterans, the arguments about youth appear a direct swipe at them. In contrast to what was argued by the Gandhis, the G-23 members in the CWC had underlined the issues about leadership style and non-consultative decision-making – which they had flagged in their controversial letter to Sonia Gandhi in 2020. Some senior leaders even told Rahul that he should be more accessible and should start meeting leaders and workers regularly.
At the same time, the mantra about youth did not enthuse loyalists either. A key functionary said that the challenge before Congress is not about tactics, but of political credibility and larger strategy to address the perception about the party created by BJP.
Senior member Jairam Ramesh brought up the youth factor while arguing that the party has to focus on this group to renew its appeal. The discussion in the meeting revolved around the rout suffered by the party in the recent polls in five states.
Responding to Ramesh’s strategy, AICC general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra added that the party gave 60% tickets to men and women below the age of 45 years in the Uttar Pradesh polls.
According to sources, Rahul agreed with the argument and said youth will be the focus in future. He also remarked that BJP can be defeated in the coming Gujarat elections if the party moves forward with a good strategy.
However, a day after the brainstorming, it was clear that the line of argument had left many CWC members confounded. While loyalists feel that the solution propounded by Rahul was tangential to the real challenges facing Congress, the dissident group G-23 appeared to take it as a swipe at them.
The feeling in the ginger group is that the argument from the younger Gandhis was a rebuff to the concerns expressed, and suggestions offered, by them. Given that the leading lights of the bloc are veterans, the arguments about youth appear a direct swipe at them. In contrast to what was argued by the Gandhis, the G-23 members in the CWC had underlined the issues about leadership style and non-consultative decision-making – which they had flagged in their controversial letter to Sonia Gandhi in 2020. Some senior leaders even told Rahul that he should be more accessible and should start meeting leaders and workers regularly.
At the same time, the mantra about youth did not enthuse loyalists either. A key functionary said that the challenge before Congress is not about tactics, but of political credibility and larger strategy to address the perception about the party created by BJP.
[ad_2]
Source link
