New Delhi: Signalling Rahul Gandhi’s return to the helm of affairs in the Congress, interim president Sonia Gandhi on Saturday constituted an 11-member consultative committee.
The committee predominantly comprises members of Rahul’s team and excludes veterans such as A. K. Antony, Ahmed Patel, and Ghulam Nabi Azad who never missed out a place in any important committee in the past two decades.
The new committee will meet ‘virtually’ every day to deliberate on “matters of current concern and formulate the views of the party on various issues,” the principal opposition party said in a press communique. Apart from the Congress Working Committee (CWC), it’s the only other AICC committee in place.
Though former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has been appointed chairman of the committee, with Rahul’s name coming after him on the list, Congress leaders didn’t miss the message — that Rahul has virtually taken direct control of the party affairs after sidelining veterans who were close to Sonia Gandhi since her entry in politics in 1998.
The consultative committee comprises party veterans former finance minister P. Chidambaram and Jairam Ramesh, but party leaders concede that’s for “window dressing.”
The party’s decision to not sideline veterans such as Patel was said to be the main reason for Rahul’s refusal to return as Congress president — a post he had resigned from after the last Lok Sabha elections.
Sonia Gandhi was said to be disinclined but relented, finally. Rahul’s video interaction with reporters on Thursday was the first sign of the things to come in the Congress.
He is likely to address more such press conferences in the coming few days to buttress the message that he is in control now. During his media interaction, Rahul had pointed out how he was in touch with the chief ministers of Congress governed states and was giving them regular advice too.
The Consultative group is full of members from Rahul Gandhi’s team, including Randeep Singh Surjewala, K. C. Venugopal, Jairam Ramesh, Manish Tewari, Praveen Chakravarty, Gaurav Vallabh, Supriya Shrinate and Rohan Gupta.
Ahead of the Lok Sabha election in 2019, the then Congress president Rahul Gandhi had formed a nine-member committee include senior leaders A. K. Antony, Ghulam Nabi Azad, P Chidambaram, Ashok Gehlot, Mallikarjun Kharge, Ahmed Patel, Jairam Ramesh, Randeep Surjewala and K. C. Venugopal. After the poll debacle the committee was dissolved by the party.
‘Committee formed to fight Covid-19 challenges’
Explaining the rationale and the mandate of the committee, a senior Congress leader said: “This committee has been formed to fight Covid-19 challenges and as the oldest and the principal opposition party it is our duty to provide constructive suggestions and positive criticism. The committee will lay the roadmap for fighting the economic pandemic and a strategy for kickstarting the Indian economy. It is our mandate to do this, whether the government will take the suggestions or not. This will also work on the health and economic strategy in nation’s interest”.
Also read: Rahul Gandhi’s advice to PM: Lockdown won’t defeat virus, biggest weapon is more testing
The formation of the new group marks a generational shift with three new and young faces being included in the committee, such as social media in charge Rohan Gupta. He was made in charge last year in September.
Similarly, Gaurav Vallabh who unsuccessfully contested the Jharkhand elections but is known for taking on BJP spokespersons such as Sambit Patra is also a member of the committee.
Supriya Shrinate who contested from Uttar Pradesh and lost has also been made a member. She is a former television news reporter and in the recent past has been addressing a series of press conferences on economic issues.
Praveen Chakravarty, who is the chairman of the AICC technology and data cell and considered a close-aide of Rahul Gandhi is also part of the consultative committee.
‘This group will give “voice to the people”’
“This group will be one that will frame the stand of the party on several issues and becomes all the more crucial in today’s scenario. A meeting of the group is likely to take place tomorrow,” said a senior Congress leader.
Terming the group as a right mix of maturity, experience and aggression, another leader pointed out that this group will give “voice to the people”. “The group has been constituted with care as most of the members are domain experts whether it is economic, social media, those who have worked at the policy level on agrarian issues among others. These people are going to have a dialogue with the people and those issues will then be raised in the meeting and the party will decide how to take it up,’ said another leader.
According to sources, many who have found a place in the committee are Rahul loyalists and the group will be the main platform for framing the stand of the party on several key issues. “Rahul Gandhi is not the president, but he is involved in the party affairs. He gives valuable suggestions and this group will streamline the party’s stand. There seems to be misdoubts and communication gap between what people want and what the party has been highlighting so this group will help address that,” said another leader.
Justifying the inclusion of the young leaders who have been made part of the group, another senior leader said as the economy is going to be a major concern for the country, especially in the current scenario where due to the lock down all businesses are impacted, most of the the young leaders come from an economics background and will have able to give valuable suggestions.
Also read: Why Rahul Gandhi remains India’s third-most important politician
Rahul, hahaha.
Congress and all opposition parties played the minority card for the last seventy years. Modi is now playing the majority card and he will go a long way. People of India are with him. they see in him an honest leader, financially clean and sincere to take the country forward.
a guy called KC Venugopal from Kerala is such a waste in any position ( corrupt & champ in extracurricular activities too) but a guy like Sashi Tharoor is missing, what kind of people he is selecting !!! Moreover, you should keep people’s leaders like DK, Pilot, Makken etc..
Modi’s BJP has taken the country far out of reach for Pappu and his family, no matter how many times they (Pappu, mama Sonio, and sis Priyo) try to tinker with the Cong set up. So much so that even smaller parties like AAP are forced to toe the BJP line for their own survival. Ditto for many media businesses too. With an effective national opposition no where to find, disparate regional parties are forced to make do for the national opposition, failing miserably in the process. Congress will need to find a Narasimha Rao from within, to stand any chance of survival. And the chances of that find are as good as Modi’s BJP acquiring secular credentials.
Congress DID FIND a ‘Narasimha Rao’. But, being true to their salt, and intent ONLY on glorifying “The Family”, they completely demeaned him, tore down whatever good he did, insulted his memory even after his death, and conspired to attribute to Manmohan Singh everything that PVN achieved. Congress did not even have the decency to allow people to pay homage to PVN’s mortal remains, by keeping the door to Congress Bhavan (or whatever it is called) in Delhi) and refused to even let him be cremated there. There ARE one or two, who perhaps “MAY” measure up to PVN today in Congress. But, far from ‘needing’ to find him/her, they will do their best to KEEP HIM OUT.
I don’t find Mr Shashi Tharoor’s name anywhere. He is knowledgeable, bold and steadfast. Such people should have been given prominent responsibilities. With preparation for Rahul Gandhi’s reinstatement at the Congress party’s helm, the BJP simply cannot be dislodged, and the country cannot see the governance and progress as per the spirit of the Constitution, and the democratic ethos of the country.
“He is knowledgeable, bold and steadfast”; “THESE” are the very reasons for his being kept OUT.
The burden of carrying ”the spirit of the Constitution, and the democratic ethos of the country.” should not be left with the Hindus alone. It should be shared by all.
Pappu can run a country but cannot win an election,
Feku can win elections but can’t run the country:
who gets your vote?
PS: Feku brings thug-shah and rahul brings a competent team.
And that competent team can loot the country again.
With the no. Of vacations Pappu takes, is he going to Work from Home (Italy)..
In this time of distress if any advice is forthcoming then it should be accepted immaterial of from whom it is coming as new ideas will surely help in fighting this pandemic
What is the talking point. The President ship in congress have to rotate within one parivar. Nobody can question that.
Is this paid news ? Please clarify.
At least not to the extent of “embedded media” that we see today to have been working for the inefficient incumbent government 24x7x365x6.
Reads like a paid article. Is this motley crew not too old to play “Minister, minister”?
Rahul is a Mphil in Development economics. His advice should be taken very serious ly and immediately implemented. manmohan is a failure . He shouldn’t be heading the committee..
He is an M.Phil from Oxford, he claims. Proof is required because he cannot be an Oxford product.
Kuchho bhih karlo . Indian public ulmost converted in Hindu jehadi . And fixed in Hindu Muslim conflict.
Each and every event will cover in Hindu Muslim .
Congress should rename itself in Kerala Congress after all that’s the only place that will send a handful of MPs.
Come to think about it, the Communist Party of India too should get a name change to the Communist Party of Kerala.
What a joke! How many of these bozos can win an election?
I’m glad the party is working behind the scenes these days. I’m sure Congress will emerge as a strong force post Covid- 19.
So the stage is once again set for the return of the reluctant bridegroom who literally ran away from the scene with his tail neatly tucked behind his legs. Evidently the Congress party’s eternal romance with the Gandhis is certain to continue. Rather than coax and cajole Rahul to return and head the party, the Congress should hand over the reins to someone like Sachin Pilot (now that Hyotiraditya has picked up his bags and gone) and give him free rein to reconstitute the working committee. Rahul’s return will sound the death knell of the Congress and that is for sure.
The article speaks of Rahul Gandhi ‘s comeback in parties leadership, Events show like that, unless Rahul Gandhi introduces some new faces , it’s not only some changes here or there would help. Unless he changes basically the style he works or the way he speaks doesn’t bring the real changes
Why doesn’t India listen to Rahul Gandhi ? Fine editorial by Shri Sujit Nair on H W News. He ends simply by saying that he lacks a core constituency that listens to him, ripples his message outward to the periphery and even the zone of indifference. However, I think it goes much beyond that. When you watch RG on TV, do you believe from the core of your heart that your everyday concerns, raising a family in increasingly difficult times, resonate with him. Does an individual who takes a foreign vacation almost monthly have any genuine empathy – as Pandit Nehru certainly did – with citizens in Amethi or Wayanad. Dil kiya toh clean shaven, varna designer stubble. The Congress President is launching a brand of soap for the nth time, which consumers have sniffed and cast aside.
Congress …. please wake up.
Rahul ji is shallow, lacks intellect and is devoid of real world experience. In short, Rahul ji is an embarrassment.
PM Modi is an exceptional individual and is a once in a century leader, with a superb team at his command. It is obvious to all that Modi ji & his team genuinely have the nation’s best interest at heart. Contrast that with the scam ridden decades of Congress (mis) rule.
However, nobody is perfect – not even Modi ji – and credible opposition is required to keep the Government sharp.
Please Congress, get rid of ‘The Gandhi’ baggage, reinvent yourself and play the role of constructive opposition – not the parody that you’ve become. Else, be prepared to be consigned to the dustbin of history.
Correct