Sonia Gandhi goes slow on naming chiefs

There are no signs of Congress president Sonia Gandhi completing the process of organisational overhaul at the state and all-India levels before the All India Congress Committee (AICC) session in New Delhi on November 2.

“Some incumbents are likely to go, but it would be unfair to show them the door before Diwali,” a senior Congress leader said, hinting that the next list of new presidents would be released only after the AICC session.

Sonia had named 18 state chiefs on Tuesday, largely renominating incumbents, but had deferred decisions Maharashtra, Andhra, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Chhattisgarh.

It is also expected that at the AICC session, the Congress president would be authorised to nominate members of the working committee. “The election schedule has been announced, but knowing our party, it would be realistic to expect that there would be a resolution authorising the president to name members,” a veteran Congressman said.

The Congress working committee has to be a representative body that reflects the diversities of society in terms of caste, gender and community, the leader said. “This may or may not be ensured through the process of voting. Hence authorising the party president is an appropriate way,” he said.

One element of this diversity —  almost 30% representation for women — was reflected in the list of AICC delegates from Uttar  Pradesh released on Thursday.  Sonia heads this list of 137 members that has 34 women.