There is a lack of “clarity and cohesion” among several State-level leaders on policy issues, Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday said in an address to State unit chiefs and general secretaries in charge, adding that communication from the party’s headquarters often did not percolate down to grassroots cadre.
She said the party must ideologically fight the “diabolical campaign of the BJP/RSS” and expose the BJP government’s lies. She complained that this was not happening.
“The AICC releases important and detailed statements almost every day on issues facing the nation. But it is my experience that they do not percolate down to our grassroots cadre at the block and district level. There are policy issues on which I find a lack of clarity and cohesion even amongst our State-level leaders,” she pointed out.
Training programmes for the workers were an absolute necessity, Ms. Gandhi noted, calling it a priority. She added, “The fight to defend our democracy, our Constitution and the Congress party’s ideology begins with being fully prepared to identify and counter false propaganda.”
She also exhorted State leaders to ensure that the campaign for the five State elections, which are due in next few months, were based on discussions with a cross-section of society.
With voices of dissent growing stronger within the party, especially after a group of leaders — widely known as the G-23 — questioned the Gandhi family’s leadership demanding reforms, Ms. Gandhi emphasised the need to override personal ambitions.
“I would like to re-emphasise the paramount need for discipline and unity. What should matter to each and every one of us is the strengthening of the organisation. This must override personal ambitions. In this lies both collective and individual success,” Ms. Gandhi observed.
In the run-up to internal elections, there will be a nation-wide Congress membership enrolment programme from November 1 to March 31, 2022.
Ms. Gandhi said the enrolment process must be transparent. The party recently had announced 40% tickets to women in the upcoming U.P. election. Taking the thread forward, she said the Congress would be more meaningful only if it was truly representative of a cross-section of society.
