Congress’ real rot lies in weak grassroots reach, 5-star culture: Azad

Ghulam Nabi Azad, who was among the 23 Congress leaders to pitch for sweeping reforms in a party, has said the national leadership cannot be blamed for the party’s poll debacles, as the rot lies in a dysfunctional organizational structure at the block, district and Pradesh Congress Committee levels.

Stating that the party’s robust base at block, district and PCC levels has been derailed since the death of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi’s, Azad said leaders have no connect with people as the party no more has elected bodies which have to be “compulsorily in touch with the people.”

“The defeat in Bihar and the by-elections is a matter of great concern for the party. And for this, I don’t blame the national leadership. We will not improve our position in any state unless we have the block-level, district-level and PCC-level elections, which has been our demand from Day 1. By demanding this, we are strengthening the hands of the leadership and the party,” he said.

Taking a potshot at colleagues who get a party ticket to contest polls, Azad said many of them prefer the comfort of five-star hotels and air-conditioned cars to the grime, dust and heat of their constituencies.

“The problem with our leaders is that if they get a party ticket, they first book a five-star hotel. Even there they want a deluxe place. Then they will not move without an air-conditioned car. They will not go to places where there is an untarred road…elections are not fought from five-star hotels…we can’t win until we change this culture,” he said.

He, however, said amends can be made by conducting the organisation election from booth-level upwards.

Azad’s comments resonates with senior party leader P Chidambaram’s recent observation that the party’s poor performance in Bihar may be an indication of its weakened organizational state. Earlier, veteran leader Kapil Sibal had also commented that the people have lost confidence in Congress being an “effective alternative”, while blaming the leadership for not addressing key problems ailing the party.

Azad, however, said it is not true that the leadership is not listening, adding that the COVID-19 pandemic has put paid to the party’s plans to convene a working committee meeting to elect its next president.

“We had made five demands – a full-time president and election should be immediately held for that and an elected (Congress) Working Committee. Both have been agreed upon. Even Rahul Gandhi and Mrs Gandhi wanted it to be held in October only. But because of COVID, it was not possible… The real strengthening of the party will come when elections will be held for block, district and state committees… the leadership has not said that they will not do that,” he said.

The Congress leader said people like him who are vocal about the party’s internal issues, should not be seen as rebels, but rather as reformists.

“We are not rebels. We are reformists. Rebels want to remove a person who is in a position and get him replaced with himself. Reformists are those who are not bothered about leadership. He is one who wants to strengthen the system. We are for strengthening the system which needs reforms. And these reforms are embedded in our party constitution,” he said.