Congress likely to exempt party leaders in Himachal, Gujarat from holding organisational polls

New Delhi: The Congress is likely to postpone its organisational elections in Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat, which go to polls later this year. [caption id=“attachment_3155468” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Representational image. AFP[/caption] This was decided at a meeting between leaders of these states with Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, where leaders of the party’s Central Election Authority (CEA) were also present, sources said. This comes amid demands from leaders of these states for not holding organisational polls due to the upcoming assembly elections. Party leaders from the states had petitioned the Congress leadership for exempting them from holding organisational polls saying it would be feasible for them to do so. They also said the priority of the party was to contest the assembly elections and urged the leadership for focussing on the strategy to win these states. The assembly elections in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh are due in October-November which clash with the internal election process. The Congress party’s organisational elections are underway and the Election Commission has given the party a deadline for holding them by the end of December, after granting it extension. The internal polls will elect the party president and state chiefs, along with its central body by 15 October, as per the schedule released by the CEA. Sources said that as per the Congress party’s constitution, there is a provision for exempting 20 percent of the electorate from participating in internal polls and thus the decision, a senior Congress leader told PTI.