One man, one post rule irks top Congressmen in Rajasthan

Rajasthan Congress president Dr Chandrabhan’s statement on enforcing the one man, one post rule in the party has created a flutter within the organisation.

Congress leaders, who hold influential posts in the government and simultaneously occupy high posts in the party, have been taken by a surprise by the party president’s statement. But ordinary workers welcomed this step.

As the organisation rule was being repeatedly broken in the state, Chandrabhan said that he would take up the issue with the party high command. “I will ensure that the one man,  one post rule is followed here,” he said.

Soon after the state chief’s statement, the party leaders with more than one post reacted sharply. However, those who commented openly used a milder tone to oppose the party chief’s initiative.

Even the latest political appointments by chief minister Ashok Gehlot, including two Pradesh Congress committee office-bearers, Rajiv Arora (vice-president ) and Dharmendra Rathore (secretary).  Arora was appointed the Rajasthan Foundations vice-president and given a minister’s status, while Rathore was made the State Seed Corporations chairman.

In the cabinet reshuffle in November 2011 too, the CM included two Congress office-bearers in his ministerial team. Hanumangarh legislator Vinod Chaudhary, who is one of the PCC vice-presidents, was included as minister of state (MoS) and given important portfolios of rural development and panchayati raj departments.

Jayal (Nagaur) legislator Manju Meghwal, too, was accommodated as MoS, even though she holds the post of Nagaur district congress committee president.

Reacting to the PCC chief’s initiative, MoS Chaudhary said leaders occupying dual posts were useful to the people. “As we hold posts in the party and the government, we are in a better position to serve the  people,” he said. But the minister added that if the party high command desired, he was ready to leave the party post.

Good for some

A Congress worker on condition of anonymity said one man, one post rule would help the party to accommodate more leaders in the party organisation, instead of some people holding power in both the government and party organisation.

The All India Congress Committee incorporated the one man, one post rule in the party constitution at its Surajkund session in 1994. The then AICC president P V Narasimha Rao,who was also the Prime Minister then, later brought in an amendment to keep the Congress president out of its purview.