'Chintan Shivir': 'Conditions' apply to Congress' one family, one ticket formula

Udaipur: The Congress is holding a three-day ‘Chintan Shivir’ in Rajasthan’s Udaipur wherein it is likely to enforce the ‘one family, one ticket’ formula granting exemption to only another family member who has been doing “exemplary work” for the party for a period of at least five years, as the Congress promised big ticket changes while acknowledging that it had not kept pace with changing times. According to PTI, the other major organisational reforms which are to be considered include establishing mandal committees between booth and block level in the organisation, 50 percent representation to those below 50 years of age in party committees at all levels, fixing the maximum of five years tenure for party positions with a cooling off period of three years, setting up of a ‘public insight department’ for creating an in house survey mechanism and an assessment wing to gauge the performance of office bearers. While addressing a press conference ahead of the ‘Chintan Shivir’, Congress general secretary Ajay Maken said, “There’s almost complete unanimity among panel members on the proposal that to ensure that party leaders don’t give tickets to their kin or relatives without any work in the party, at least five years of prior work in the party will be required.” He added, “Any person who is holding a post for five years should have to step down, and there should be a cooling period of at least three years for that person to come back on the same post. For more than five years a person should not be on the same post.” Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi said, “In the run-up to Chintan Shivir, there have been many discussions. Some subjects have formed a consensus. They would be taken up formally in 3-day shivir and introduced in resolution. One family-one ticket is something all of us feel strongly about.” While acknowledging that the organisation needed an overhaul to keep pace with the changing times, Ajay Maken said these “big changes” are in store for the party organisation and it will completely transform its working style going forward. He said there is unanimity on establishing mandal committees between booth and block level in party organisation, which will further help strengthen the organisation. Each Mandal, he said, would comprise of 15-20 booths and a Block Congress committee would comprise three-four mandals. Maken, who is a member of the coordination committee on organisation for discussion at the Chintan Shivir, said the party is deliberating on setting up a ‘public insight department’ to ascertain views of the people and carry out surveys for getting battle ready for elections. The Congress is also considering setting up an ‘assessment wing’ to gauge performance of office bearers, he said, adding that good workers should be rewarded and promoted while non-performers be removed. Noting that this is going to be a historic conclave, he said a range of discussions are ongoing mainly across six specific subjects and after debates of various panels on organisational matters are adopted and implemented, you will see a massive overhaul of the Congress organisation from bottom to top across all levels. The formula will be applicable to all in the party including the Gandhi family. The exemption, however, assumes significance considering that the party is often under attack for promoting dynastic politics. The rule is being taken up to weed out multiple ticket seekers from influential families and parachute candidates. The exemption would provide a lifeline to families with many members working relentlessly for years for the organisation. The three-day ‘Nav Sankalp Chintan Shivir’ is being held in the backdrop of a string of electoral defeats and dissent in the party for the past many years. The Shivir will focus on time-bound party restructuring, finding ways to combat politics of polarisation and getting battle-ready for upcoming electoral challenges. (With inputs from agencies) Read all the Latest News , Trending News ,  Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.