The EC requires every political party to hold organisational elections as per its constitution
The Congress internal organisational polls are set to get delayed further by a year, as the party workers and leaders have got busy in the upcoming assembly elections in five states. Apart from Uttar Pradesh, assembly elections are scheduled to be held in Punjab, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur early next year. Party sources said a Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting has been scheduled on November 7 to seek more time from the Election Commission (EC) for the conduct of organisational elections. The EC requires every political party to hold organisational elections as per its constitution.
Putting off organisational polls by a year also means extending the term of party President Sonia Gandhi by one more year, which also means that elevation of Vice- President Rahul Gandhi will be kept on hold. Sonia's five-year term after being elected in 2010 had ended last year. But the CWC extended her term by a year up to December 2016, citing delay in completion of the organisational elections. Sonia is at the helm of affairs in the party for the last 19 years.
The CWC is expected to adopt a resolution extending completion of the organisational elections by one year up to December 2017, the party sources said. Sonia, who turns 70 on December 9, will thus complete 20 years in saddle, the current term being extended to total seven years. The top decision making body will also review preparations for the Assembly polls.
A decision on the formal launch of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (44) as campaigner in Uttar Pradesh is also expected in this meeting. It will also consider a one-day session of the All India Congress Committee (AICC) here on November 19 to mark the birth centenary of Indira Gandhi.
Last year, the party had announced an elaborate four-phase schedule for organisational elections to pep up the party at grassroot level. These included polls for block, district and state committees before moving to the central level to elect All India Congress Committee (AICC) and Congress Working Committee (CWC) members. The party constitution says 12 members are to be elected to the CWC and as many nominated by the Congress President. (ends)
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