Congress to appoint district unit chiefs in Gujarat by May 31; to adopt Kerala model for fund collection

New Delhi | The Congress will follow an eight-step process to select district unit presidents in Gujarat by May-end and is set to adopt its Kerala model of door-to-door fund collection after strengthening the organisation at the grassroots, sources said on Wednesday.

A political affairs committee will also be formed for every district, and the unit chiefs called upon for central election committee meetings to express their views before finalising candidates for elections, they said.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday addressed booth-level party workers at Modasa town in Gujarat's Arvalli district after launching the pilot project of strengthening district units as part of the grand old party's push to revamp the organisation in Gujarat, where assembly polls are due in late 2027.

A five-member committee, comprising one All India Congress Committee (AICC) observer and four Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) observers, will oversee the process of appointing new chiefs for each of the 41 district units (including eight cities) of the party in Gujarat.

Sources said the selection of district unit presidents will be an eight-step process.

It would include the observers spending two weeks in the district, speaking with party workers and leaders, seeking applications, interviewing prospective candidates and then shortlisting a panel to be sent to the Congress in-charge of the state who would then make a recommendation to the president, keeping in mind appropriate representation for women, Dalits, tribals, OBCs and minorities.

District Congress Committee (DCC) presidents will be put in place in the 41 districts for Gujarat by May 31, the sources said, adding the DCCs' role will be greatly enhanced and they would also play a key part in local body elections.

They further said that once the revamped district units are put in place in the country, the Congress would adopt its Kerala model of smaller units playing a key role in door-to-door fund collection.

In his address in Modasa, Gandhi made several promises to workers such as devolving more power and funding to district units, assessing the performance of senior figures, promoting ground-level active functionaries and removing leaders who are either inactive or "working for the BJP".

Admitting party cadres in Gujarat were "demoralised" as the Congress has been out of power in the state for nearly three decades, Gandhi insisted that it was not difficult to defeat the saffron outfit.

"You feel that it is difficult to defeat the BJP here. I have come here to tell you that it is easy to defeat the BJP and we will definitely do that. We just need some changes in the party's functioning. Local leaders highlighted some issues such as destructive competition among leaders and distribution of poll tickets without consulting local leadership," he noted.

The Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha went on to classify Congress leaders in three categories -- "race horses, wedding procession horses and 'langda ghoda' (injured horses)".

He maintained the party was not performing well in Gujarat because racehorses were "made to dance in weddings", while those meant for "dancing" were asked to participate in a race (fight elections).

"Time has come to separate them. We will make racehorses run (in elections) and make wedding horses dance (not give any work). District units must be run from districts, not Ahmedabad. That's why we have started this exercise of giving more powers to district presidents," said Gandhi.

The Congress on Saturday appointed observers for the selection of the party's district unit presidents in Gujarat. As many as 43 AICC observers and 183 PCC observers have been appointed for the selection of DCC presidents in the state.

The decision to appoint DCC presidents was taken at the just-concluded AICC session held in Ahmedabad on April 9.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge had said at the AICC session that the DCC presidents will be empowered, made accountable and they will also have a say in the selection of party candidates. Rahul Gandhi had also said that they were making the DCCs and their chiefs the foundation of the Congress party.