The scale and scope of internal elections in the Congress would be much less ambitious than originally planned, as party vice-president Rahul Gandhi has stepped back from his plans of replicating the Youth Congress model of elections in the parent party.
Mr. Gandhi’s aides Sachin Rao and Krishna Allaveru would not be working with Mullappally Ramchandran, chairman of the Central Election Authority, as was originally planned. Mr. Ramchandran rejected the model that the duo tried to import from the Youth Congress on the grounds that the Congress constitution has specifically laid down the election procedure.
Mr. Ramachandran, when contacted by The Hindu , denied any rift with Rahul’s aides, but added: “The Congress cannot give membership on the basis of a missed call, like the BJP is doing. We need to enrol people who are committed to the programme of the party,” he said, adding that there is no change in his mandate to “conduct free and fair” elections at all levels.
But multiple Congress sources said the organisational election would be on “traditional lines” and consensus would be sought at all levels, rather than forcing voting. The Youth Congress election is modelled such that the person who gets the maximum votes becomes the president of the unit, the second highest scorer becomes vice president and so on.
An oversight committee led by former election commission official K.J. Rao looks into malpractices in the election and allegations against candidates. Mr. Sachin Rao wanted the same model in Congress too, with electronic enrolment of members.
Elections in the Youth Congress have been controversial. Blatant use of money and muscle power have compromised the process in many places and the dissonance among the office-bearers who were all opposed to each other in the first instance has immobilised the youth wing.
“The question is whether you want to do the same thing to the Congress, where too, there is a demoralisation at all levels,” a member of the Congress Working Committee said. Party sources said even the elected leaders are routinely complaining to Mr. Gandhi that antagonistic elections in which fake membership plays a huge role is doing more harm than good to the party.
Many senior leaders protested before Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Mr. Gandhi that the party can ill afford an acrimonious internal election now.
