Congressional ‘war’ room fills with activity as battle for 4 states, 1 UT draws near
Saubhadra chatterji
New Delhi: With elections in four major states and a Union Territory knocking on the doorstep, the Congressional “war room” at 15 Gurdwara Rakabganj Road is buzzing with activity after a long hiatus.
The property with two conference rooms, some cabins, a dining room, and a separate unit for the Congressional social media cell is in such demand that high-level party leaders need to book ahead for meetings. “It’s like you have to submit a request for a space in one of the conference rooms. And often I received a communication that some other group had already taken the desired place, ”said a senior congressional leader.
Manish Chatrath, All India Congress Committee (AICC) in charge of Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya, also manages this prime property in the heart of Lutyens Delhi for the party.
The growing demand for the ‘war room’ also coincides with the reduction of real estate space for Congress in the national capital. Until two years ago, the party activities were spread over at least five locations in central Delhi with separate spaces for research, data analysis, social media and networking, while the main polling activities were carried out out at 15 Gurdwara Rakabganj Road.
Now some of these properties are no longer used by the party’s backroom guys, said two leaders involved in the voting exercises.
“Before the 2019 elections, a new operating room was created in a small bungalow on the Lodhi estate. The property hosted key meetings related to strategy, campaign, and even data analysis. Every night, a large number of senior leaders gathered there. But now, that bungalow is no longer used, ”said a second senior leader.
The activities in the 15, GRG, therefore, have multiplied. Officially, the property belongs to a member of the Rajya Sabha Congress. But it has been remodeled as a high-security office for the party’s electoral strategy. While Congress President Sonia Gandhi has never visited the site, Rahul Gandhi has come frequently for key meetings.
“No leader of Congress, except the general secretaries and superiors, can enter the venue without an appointment. If your name is not given to the private security guards at the front door, you will be denied entry, ”said another congressional leader who handles the affairs of an eastern state.
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The level of security is such that, except for a few senior leaders, no one can bring their cars inside despite the ample parking space. A few years ago, a biometric check-in and check-out system was implemented for regular customers. “The social media team working from the same property uses a completely separate door and their office has been bricked up.
While the office decor and work style remain the same at 15, GRG, however, has lost Ahmed Patel forever, one of the few high-level leaders who would come to the room almost daily ” war”. One of the office booths was assigned to Patel, who died due to complications from Covid, before almost every survey. After many years, Congress goes to the polls without Patel.
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