The Congress may be working overtime in Uttar Pradesh to regain lost grounds but its frontal organisations remain “almost defunct”.
The Congress may be working overtime in Uttar Pradesh to regain lost grounds but its frontal organisations remain “almost defunct”.
The Youth Congress, Mahila Congress, NSUI (party’s students’ wing) and Sewa Dal have been reduced to organisations that remain on paper and have not made any contribution to the parent party in recent years.
Their offices wear a deserted look for most part of the day while office-bearers refuse to comment on the current state of affairs.
Senior party leaders feel it would be better to disband these units in Uttar Pradesh, which goes to polls early next year.
At a time when political parties focus more on youth voters and spend much of their resources on creating a strong base at the grassroots, the Youth Congress has remained largely inactive. Its leaders have neither been at the forefront of picking major issues related to the youths and following those up with agitational support nor have they made any serious effort to win over the youth community.
Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi had divided the Youth Congress into four zones, expecting the organisation to turn more robust. The organisation, instead, slipped into a deeper slumber.
“There is no denying the fact that, as an organisation, the YC has become almost defunct. The leadership is lacklustre with even members now staying away from political activities. The YC leaders remain busy lobbying for tickets for the assembly elections and have not held a single programme worth recalling in recent months”, said Sandeep Tiwari, a former member who has now disassociated himself with the YC.
The NSUI, similarly, has virtually no presence left in the universities and colleges in UP.
“The SP and the BJP are treating the campus elections as a warm-up exercise before the assembly polls but the NSUI remains in a state of inertia,” said a party leader.
The Mahila Congress, on the other hand, has restricted itself to major events where the top leadership is present. Adding to the woes, the Congress’ Sewa Dal limits itself to ceremonial occasions such as giving a guard of honour or flag-hoisting.
A former UPCC chief admitted Friday that the inactive frontal organisations were proving to be a major impediment in the party’s revival. “Our leaders are taking out yatras but these organisations are not providing any back-up support,” he said.
