Chief minister proposes, party chief disposes”, may soon be Congress mantra to empower workers.
The party is likely to make it mandatory that its state governments secure the organization’s approval on key policies before notifying them. The proposal rides the eagerness within to give primacy to organization over government and to rein in the CMs who are seen to often assume a degree of autonomy that is inimical to party’s political interests.
The Congress roadmap for renewal after the Lok Sabha rout aims to redraw the rules of engagement between the party and government. The radical proposal may come up for discussion during the state-level consultations on future strategy directed by Rahul Gandhi.
According to sources, if the leadership agrees, every key government policy would first have to be discussed and ratified by the party. The organizational nod could be an elaborate process, like putting it to vote in district Congress committees and getting approval of a majority of them.
Also, Congress is mulling involvement of units down to block-level in the drafting of manifesto as also a strict monitoring of its implementation. Though a radical departure from the way Congress has functioned in states it rules, the proposed model has been tested at the Centre during the UPA regime. The National Advisory Council chaired by party chief Sonia Gandhi debated and drafted policy initiatives for the government to adopt. The pathbreaking Indo-US nuclear deal was approved by the Congress Working Committee to send a message down the party line.
While empowerment of workers is at the focus of these changes, there has been anger in the party that CMs have often undercut the organization’s interests.
The actions of multipleterm CMs have aroused special suspicion among party managers since the Congress’ ouster in those states.
A strong organization with influence over government, many believe, would keep Congress brand thriving among people irrespective of power. There is, however, the flip side of strong organizations paralyzing governments, a concern which may force the leadership to finetune the final policy.
Sources said the discussions up to district level on strategic roadmap starting next month could revolve around how to ensure that “the party leads the government” and to ensure equitable distribution of power between the two arms.
(Times Of India)