Politics

Ghulam Nabi Azad speaks at length to revitalise the Congress

The senior Congress leader, member of the highest decision making body CWC, not included in the newly reconstituted AICC as general secretary Ghulam Nabi Azad has high appreciation for the Congress leader n interim president Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi lauding their leadership saying that Congress has in the past won several elections under their efficient leadership n formed government’s at the centre but the party has today lost connect at the grass root levels with the workers and leaders and those without money not able to oblige senior leaders with gifts, sychophancy or other obligations, have no say in the party which is unfortunate. Responding to ANI as per its tweet he said : Be it out party or any other, culture of sychophancy has become the main reason for the party’s death as well as the downfall of leaders. We should stay away from this culture at all levels. Shame on those who join politics for enjoyment n money said Ghulam Nabi Azad.

The poor leaders in Congress despite their unstinted commitment and dedication for several decades are still common workers who could not become lawmakers or corporators and are still serving the party at various levels. He catagorically said that there is no question of rebellion in the party against the leadership.

We are not challenging anyone. There is no candidate for the post of President. Rebellion amounts to replacing someone But we believe in revitalising the party.

Change the system that has made the party weak. We are seeking reforms which will ultimately help in revitalising the Congress he added.

Azad was responding to the questions of a newsagency ANI on Sunday on the existing crisis in the Congress.

Speaking at length , Ghulam Nabi Azad said that the Bhartiya Janata Party is a party where RSS works hard and with dedication for the saffron party unconcerned about any political gain and so it’s workers whereas in Congress the connect at the block n district level with the masses is missing.

The party office bearers at the block, district and the state level get their letter heads and visiting cards printed but never work hard n that’s the reason, there exists no system in the party suffering from total disconnect with the workers and the people in the country.

This is why he alongwith other senior leaders of the Congress had raised our voice for introspection and conduction of elections at the block, district and national level in order to completely overhaul and rejuvenate the Congress party.

Responding to various questions of ANI Ghulam Nabi Azad said that he had worked for the Congress for several decades with several party presidents and prime ministers n was cabinet minister in various Congress governments with five prime ministers.

On the question of the poor performance of Congress in the recently held Bihar elections bringing merely 19 seats out of total seventy Ghulam Nabi Azad said we are trying to bring or devise a new formula in order to revitalise the party by changing the prevalent system for the betterment of the prospects in future.

Lauding the political dexterity and outstanding acumen of leaders of calibre like Ahmed Patel Ghulam Nabi Azad said that he had never accepted the cabinet ministerial post during the Congress rule despite his insistence asking Ahmed Patel to become finance minister at the centre. He said that every leader in the party has outstanding capacity to work in his own right and capability.

What Ahmed Patel can do he can’t and what I can do for the party Ahmed Patel can’t lauding his outstanding capabilities n contribution for the party and carry out various challenging responsibilities from time to time.

Narrating his invaluable contribution for the Congress Party since decades Ghulam Nabi Azad said that he had never longed to seek appointment with the Congress president Sonia Gandhi or her predecessor but had been working hard n with dedication in Southern states of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu etc for several months without coming to Delhi and living in villages during election campaigning for months n addressing hundreds of rallies n public meetings bringing Congress to power from negligible position to the top.

One should work hard, with dedication n sincerely n become indispensable so that the high command calls him for meeting instead of seeking appointments or do Ganesh PARIKRAMA to gain political beneficence Azad said.

Strongly urging for the complete overhaul of the party right from the block to national level through elections Azad said that this exercise will strengthen the party and generate activism n confidence in the Congress cadre n leaders from bottom to the top.

He lauded the leadership of Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi saying that they have honoured his request for elections from block to the national level and agreed to my proposal but got delayed due to the ongoing pandemic. I therefore will not blame the central party leadership in this regard for the inordinate delay.

Ghulam Nabi Azad emphasised that sychophancy should end in the Congress and genuine grassroot dedicated worker n leaders should be given primacy to encourage them in the party organisation.

He added that it’s not the question as to who takes the charge of the party chief viz Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Kapil Sibal or someone else. The relevant point is the present system should be improved, rectified in order to strengthen the Congress as it is the only party that could replace the ruling BJP and no other party regional or national.

Accusing the ruling Bhartiya Janata Party n its leaders for not consulting the main opposition Congress on important national issues n major policy decisions Ghulam Nabi Azad said that Congress is truly a party with honest secular credentials which believes in a pluralistic society, communal harmony and unity in diversity and would be the only credible political national alternative to the ruling party in the years to come.

Responding to questions of ANI Ghulam Nabi Azad catagorically said that writing a letter to the Party chief for introspection and rejuvenation of the Congress demanding elections from Block level to the national chief does not amount to challenging anyone but to revitalise the party through participatory democracy in order to strengthen it which is at its low during the last few years.

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Sunil Negi

Sunil Negi is a senior journalist and president of Uttarakhand Journalists Forum ( Regd). He usually writes on socio political subjects and have been contributing articles in print media for the last several years. Mr. Sunil Negi had been felicitated by All India Achievers conference's Pride of India and excellence awards apart from several other recognitions. He has translated a book on ecological disaster of Uttarakhand of June 2013 and edited and published two editions of Uttaranchal's Who's Who.

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