While retaining Mullapally Ramachandran as chairman of CEO, Congress president Sonia Gandhi inducted two members — Bhubanshwar Kalita and Madhusudhan Mistri.
In order to meet the Election Commission deadline, the Congress on Saturday began the process of conducting organisational polls by rejigging its Central Election Authority (CEA). The CEA is tasked with completing the internal elections by October-end.
While retaining Mullapally Ramachandran as chairman of CEO, Congress president Sonia Gandhi inducted two members — Bhubanshwar Kalita and Madhusudhan Mistri. She also approved constitution of a three-member advisory committee that includes Shamsher Singh Dullu MP, Ask Ali Tak and Biren Singh Engti, both former MPs. The significance of this announcement is removal of Gujarat MP Mistry from the post of AICC general secretary by inducting him as a member of the party's Election Authority. Party general secretary Janardan Dwivedi said since Mistry has become a CEA member, he will not hold any organisational post as per party constitution. Party sources said the constitution bars the office-bearers from being part of the CEA.
Only a fortnight ago, Ramachandran had got cleared the roadmap for completing the party's organisational elections by October-end from Mrs. Gandhi. The party is under notice from the Election Commission that it would not get any further extension to complete the elections since it had already overstepped a five-year term as stipulated in the Congress constitution in 2015. This is the fourth term of Sonia Gandhi as the party president. The EC had earlier given an ultimatum to the Congress to complete the organisational polls by June 30.
The Congress party had cited practical problems of updating its membership list to have a proper and meaningful election both at the central and state levels. Party sources said vice-president Rahul Gandhi has asked its leaders to strictly follow the poll schedule. The election will see an end of Mrs Gandhi's tenure as party president. She holds the record for being the president for almost 19 consecutive years, after taking over from Sitaram Kesri in 1998. After party president is chosen, there will be elections to the Congress Working Committee (CWC) – the party's highest decision making body. Out of 25 members of the CWC, 12 have to be elected by All India Congress Committee (AICC) members. Incidentally, no elections to the CWC have been held since 1997 and earlier also elections to this highest body took place in 1992 — during Narasimha Rao's tenure. Most of other times, the members have been nominated by Gandhi family.
In the five-phase elections, the enrollment of new members will end on August 20. Then there will be elections to elect block presidents, and district presidents. This will be followed by the election of state chiefs from September 16 to October 15. The plenary session will mark the completion of the fifth and final phase of the organisational elections by the year-end.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Sonia Gandhi")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}