Amidst the never-ending leadership crisis in the Indian National Congress, the grand old party for the first time, is going to digitally conduct the voting process for the election of the party’s new president. It seems that the party is going ‘digital’ to ensure that the post of party President continues to remain firmly with the Gandhi family.
The INC has a history of conducting a sham of intra-party elections to ensure that the Gandhi family face no hiccups in ensuring an iron grip on the party. Now, for the first time, the party will digitally elect its new president thereby replacing the interim president Sonia Gandhi.
The party’s Central elections authority is in the process of formulating a voters list of around 1500 AICC delegates to vote for the next Congress president which is likely to fall in the lap of Rahul Gandhi.
In 2017, Rahul Gandhi was elected to the party’s helm for a five-year term but stepped down after the 2019 Lok Sabha elections thereby paving way for Sonia Gandhi to take over as the interim president. Now, it seems that Rahul is all set to return with the party leaders likely to spare no efforts to ensure a swift coronation for the forever party prince.
The party’s election authority is headed by Madhusudan Mistry – a staunch Rahul loyalist whose star has only grown ever since Rahul entered active politics.
The party has been facing multiple rebellions with even those leaders enjoying close proximity to the Gandhi family openly calling for effective leadership and intra-party democratic elections. The calls for a new leadership only grew after the drubbing received by the party in the Bihar elections and the by-polls which took placer across the country.
Recently, in an interview to The Indian Express, senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal claimed that the people of India don’t consider Congress as a viable alternative while stating that the party is, “in a sorry state of affairs” that has led to its ‘decline.’
He further urged the party to “be brave and willing to recognise them,” as the party was in a decline and the time for introspection was over.
Read More: Will Kapil Sibal be thrown out of the Congress?
In a move that would have likely irked the Gandhi family, Sibal claimed that he was forced to raise the party’s issues in public, as there was no appropriate forum in the party to express his views. “We are yet to hear from the Congress party their views on our recent performance in Bihar and in the by-elections. Maybe they think all is well and that it should be business as usual,” said Sibal.
Unsurprisingly, the Gandhi family’s minions wasted no time in attacking Sibal with Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot first off the blocks. Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury was particularly hawkish in his criticism of Sibal’s statements as he said, “If some leaders think that Congress is not the right party for them then they may set up a new party or can join any other party which they think is progressive and according to their interest. But they should not indulge in such embarrassing activities since it can erode the credibility of the Congress.”
He further added, “Such senior leaders should not indulge in such embarrassing sweeping statements. They enjoy proximity to the Gandhi family. They can raise issues before the party leadership or in the right party forum.”
Next year is going to be a significant year for the Indian polity as five states are heading for an election with West Bengal being the headline state and the newly coronated Congress President is all set to drive the party to successive drubbings.
