The Congress on Monday indicated of holding a “chintan shivir” (brain storming session) next month either in party-ruled Himachal Pradesh or Uttarakhand against the backdrop of the results of five sta
The Congress on Monday indicated of holding a “chintan shivir” (brain storming session) next month either in party-ruled Himachal Pradesh or Uttarakhand against the backdrop of the results of five state Assembly elections and ahead of the crucial Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand polls.
This exercise is needed at a time when the party has been facing twin challenges from the BJP and regional parties across the country after its defeat in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections and the state Assembly polls held after that. If the party got 45 seats in the Lok Sabha and thereby failed to get the post of the Leader of the Opposition, its numbers in the Rajya Sabha too is decreasing gradually although it is still the largest single party in the Upper House.
A senior leader, who declined to be identified, said that the brain storming session could be held in a hill state. Karnataka, which is also a party-ruled state, could also be considered.
Another senior leader ruled out a possibility of calling an AICC session or a CWC meeting.
According to sources, June or first half of July is the right time for a “chintan shivir”. This is because the Monsoon Session of Parliament could begin in the third week of July and after that the focus will be on the electoral battle in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Uttarakhand.
The Congress might have won the Puducherry Assembly but its defeat in Assam and Kerala has demoralised the party, especially the BJP’s victory in Assam. If the AAP is emerging as a key player in the coming Punjab poll, it is making inroads in Goa and may put up candidates in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. It could gain the space against the ruling BJP in these states if the Congress remains weak.
The suggestion of holding the CWC meeting either in Allahabad, Lucknow and other parts of the country, coming from the party officials, appears to have not impressed the Congress leadership.
The brainstorming session is being held at a time when Mr Rahul Gandhi’s elevation to the party chief’s post is being talked about in party circles.
In 2003, Mrs Sonia Gandhi had organised a “chintan shivir” at Shimla where the Congress for the first time gave indications of its openness to share power at the Centre by calling for unity of secular forces. Next year, Congress-led UPA had ensured ouster of the NDA Government led by Atal Behari Vajpayee.
In the last 'chintan shivir’ held at Jaipur in January 2013, Mr Rahul Gandhi was elevated as the party Vice President and was the ‘face’ of the party in the Lok Sabha polls.
The 'chintan shivir ‘is being held at a time when the party is facing an onslaught from the BJP and the Sangh Parivar on one side and on the other, secular parties are attempting to eat into its space.The Congress wants the unity of anti-BJP secular parties but does not want to have a national-level alliance with them.
A section of party leaders believes that it is facing a threat to its very existence the way the Narendra Modi-led BJP and government is targeting it and its leadership.
First such 'chintan shivir’ was organised by Mrs Sonia Gandhi at Panchmarhi in Madhya Pradesh in 1998 soon after taking over reins of the organisation.
