Gurugram: As the Congress observers setting up the organisational structure in Haryana arrive at the final stages of their exercise to scout for district presidents of the organisation in Haryana, Rahul Gandhi’s vision for his future team is gradually becoming clearer.
The organisational structure of the Congress in Haryana is taking shape through the ‘Sangathan Srijan Abhiyan,’ a campaign to identify district presidents across 22 districts.
Driven by All India Congress Committee (AICC) observers, this initiative prioritises leaders with ideological clarity, steadfast loyalty to the party, and the ability to counter the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Rastriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) propaganda—going by the questions aspirants are being asked.
Through probing questions and grassroots engagement, the exercise aims to address factionalism, analyse electoral setbacks since 2014, and build a robust organisational structure to reclaim political ground, offering readers insight into the party’s “transformative” approach.
A new approach to district leadership selection
Unlike previous instances when the Congress state presidents and Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leaders held sway over district-level appointments, the AICC has taken direct control of the process.
Each of Haryana’s 22 districts has been assigned an AICC observer, supported by three Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) observers, to oversee the selection of District Congress Committee (DCC) presidents. This shift, ratified at the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meetings in Belgaum and Ahmedabad, was successfully piloted in Gujarat and is now being implemented in Haryana.
The selection process is rigorous, involving interviews with aspirants, consultations with party workers, former MLAs, and even social activists to ensure an unbiased evaluation.
The AICC observers are tasked with shortlisting candidates and preparing a panel of six names per district, which will later be narrowed down to three after consultations with senior state leaders. The final selection will be made by the Congress high command, ensuring a centralised yet inclusive approach.
Probing questions to gauge commitment & strategy
AICC observers are leaving no stone unturned in assessing the suitability of aspirants. Interviews are structured to evaluate candidates’ loyalty to the Congress, their organisational vision, and their ability to counter the ideological and propaganda machinery of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
Aspirants are being asked pointed questions such as: “How will you counter the BJP and RSS’s publicity in your district?” and “What is your formula for building the organisation at the district level?” These questions reflect the party’s intent to appoint leaders capable of mounting an effective ideological and electoral challenge to the BJP, which has dominated Haryana’s political landscape since 2014.
Besides this, the observers are probing candidates’ political histories, asking, “How long have you been active with the Congress? Have you ever switched parties?”
Such questions aim to ensure that district presidents are steadfast in their allegiance to the Congress, a critical factor given the party’s history of factionalism in Haryana.
Aspirants are also asked about their professional backgrounds and financial stability, indicating the party’s preference for leaders who can independently fund organisational activities when needed, a long-standing expectation in Congress’ grassroots operations.
In a unique twist, candidates are being asked to recommend an alternative leader for the district president role if they are not selected. This question, as one aspirant from Fatehabad noted, is designed to gauge whether candidates prioritise the party’s interests over personal ambitions or allegiance to specific leaders.
“By asking about other potential candidates, the observer was testing whether my loyalty lies with the party or with a particular leader,” the aspirant told The Print.
Assessing public connect & electoral failures
The AICC observers are also delving into the public influence of senior Congress leaders, such as former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Sirsa MP Kumari Selja, AICC general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala, former Union Minister Chaudhary Birender Singh, Rohtak MP Deepender Singh Hooda, and former finance minister Captain Ajay Singh Yadav.
By asking aspirants to identify the leader with the strongest public connect in their district, observers are mapping the regional influence of these figures while ensuring that district presidents are not overly aligned with any single faction, observed the aspirant cited above.
A critical focus of the interviews is understanding why the Congress has failed to form a government in Haryana since 2014, despite anti-incumbency against the BJP in the 2024 assembly elections.
Observers are asking aspirants to pinpoint the reasons behind the party’s electoral losses and propose strategies to reverse this trend. This introspection is part of Rahul Gandhi’s broader push to address systemic weaknesses in the party’s state unit and rebuild its organisational strength.
A transparent & independent process
The AICC observers’ approach underscores a commitment to transparency and independence. In Fatehabad, for instance, AICC observer Challa Vamshi Chand Reddy from Telangana spent six nights earlier this month, conducting meetings with party workers and interviewing 74 aspirants.
“Reddy ensured that no local leader was involved in arranging his stay or meals. He booked his own hotel and even shifted to another one when party workers discovered his location,” said a Congress leader from Fatehabad. This move, the leader added, prevented local leaders from exerting influence over the observer.
Reddy also personally covered the costs of booking banquet halls for meetings and providing tea and snacks to workers, a departure from the past when such expenses were typically borne by district presidents or senior leaders.
“This time, the observer paid for everything himself, ensuring the process remained free from local pressures,” the Fatehabad leader noted. Reddy also held separate consultations with Sirsa MP Kumari Selja and the district’s three MLAs—Balwan Singh Daulatpuria, Jarnail Singh, and Paramvir Singh—to gather diverse perspectives.
The Congress leadership has deliberately kept senior Haryana leaders at arm’s length during the initial phase of the selection process to minimise factional interference.
Once the panels of six names per district are finalised, senior leaders will be consulted to narrow them down to three, ensuring their input is considered without allowing them to dominate the process. This delicate balancing act reflects the party’s attempt to address internal rivalries while empowering grassroots leaders.
A step toward grassroots empowerment
Political analyst Kushal Pal, principal at Indira Gandhi PG College, Ladwa, emphasised the significance of this exercise for the Congress, which has struggled to regain power in Haryana since 2014.
“The Congress’s inability to capitalise on anti-BJP sentiment in 2024 underscores the need for a robust organisational structure. By empowering district presidents and involving grassroots workers in the selection process, the party is signaling a shift toward decentralised leadership. However, it must tread carefully to avoid alienating senior leaders while ensuring that factionalism doesn’t derail this reform,” Pal told The Print.
He said that the ‘Sangathan Srijan Abhiyan’ is a bold step toward revitalising the Congress in Haryana, a state critical to its national ambitions. By prioritising loyalty, ideological clarity, and grassroots connect, the AICC observers hope to lay the foundation for a more cohesive and dynamic organisation.
(Edited by Viny Mishra)
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