The party’s prospects would be better if an elected body leads the party, otherwise “Congress will continue in Opposition for the next 50 years,” Azad said.
“When you participate in the elections, at least 51% are with you. Other contestants will get 10 or 15% of the votes. The person who wins and takes over as president of the party, means that 51% of the people are with him. Right now, the person who becomes president may not even have one percent support. If CWC members are elected, they cannot be removed. So what is the problem? “Ghulam Nabi Azad told ANI.
“Others who finish second, third or fourth will think that you have to strengthen the party by working hard and we will win next time. But the president, who is now appointed, does not even have the support of 1 percent of the party’s workers.” ”, He said while reiterating that the elections strengthen the foundations of the party.
Calling attention to the consequences of not holding intraparty elections on the party’s prospects in state or national elections, he said the Congress party has been appointing “someone as party chairman in the state” on the recommendation of top leaders of the party. match.
The remarks came three days after the Congressional Working Committee (CWC), the party’s highest decision-making body, passed a resolution requesting Sonia Gandhi “to continue to lead the National Congress of India” until circumstances allow a session of the AICC. to be summoned.
“An appointed person can be removed but an elected person cannot be removed. What’s wrong with this?” He said.
He harshly criticized leaders who oppose the elections, saying that people who claim to be loyal are actually doing cheap politics and damaging the interests of the party and the nation.
Criticizing those who oppose the elections, the Rajya Sabha member said: “Those officials, presidents of state units or block district presidents who attack our proposal know that they will be nowhere when the elections are held. genuinely committed to Congress, he will welcome the letter. I have said that the party’s state, district, and bloc presidents should be elected by party workers, “he said.
He regretted that elections have not been held in the party for the past decades: “For the past decades, we have no elected bodies in the party. Maybe we should have pushed it 10 or 15 years ago. Now we are losing elections after the elections. , and if we have to go back, we must strengthen our party by holding elections. ”
“If my party wants to be in the opposition for the next 50 years, then there is no need for elections within the party,” he said.
Noting that the sole purpose is to make Congress active and strong, he said: “Those who just got ‘appointment cards’ continue to oppose our proposal. What is the harm of having elected CWC members who will hold office? fixed on the match? ”
“Anyone with a genuine interest in the inner workings of Congress would appreciate our proposal that all state and district presidents be elected. The entire Congressional Working Committee should be elected,” Azad said.
Azad, who is an opposition leader in Rajya Sabha, said his effort was to make the party strong and active and that those who simply obtained “appointment cards” continue to oppose his proposal.
Underlining that he has no personal ambitions but is loyal to his party, he said: “Once I was CM, I was a Union Cabinet Minister, a CWC member and general secretary of the party, I don’t want anything for myself in active politics. for the next 5 to 7 years. I don’t want to be party president. As a true congressman, I want elections within the party for the betterment of the party. ”
The CWC meeting was held on August 24 in the context of a letter in which Azad and 22 other leaders had called for active “full-time” leadership, radical reforms and elections to the CWC. A collective leadership mechanism was also suggested to guide the party’s resurgence.
Several party leaders, including top party ministers, had raised questions about the letter and the issue was featured at the CWC meeting.
In addition to praising Sonia Gandhi’s leadership, the CWC also praised the role of party leader Rahul Gandhi, saying that he has resolutely led the fight against the BJP-led government from the front.
Sonia Gandhi continued as interim party chairperson in August last year after Rahul Gandhi resigned and took responsibility for the party’s dismal performance in Lok Sabha polls.
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