Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge mandates performance audit for office bearers

After insisting on organisational accountability from top to bottom, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday mandated a performance audit for office bearers to ensure that leaders not use positions as an ornament but for the benefit of the party.

Kharge's prescription came at a meeting of General Secretaries, state president and state Legislature Party leaders to discuss the modalities of the 'Haath se Haath Jodo' Abhiyan.

Though the official launch of Bharat Jodo Yatra's sequel will be on January 26, Karnataka will start the programme on January 1 itself keeping the Assembly elections in mind. In Karnataka, Congress plans to launch a pilot door-to-door campaign collecting basic details of households for party's future outreach programmes and it will be implemented in all the states later.

Also Read: BJP govt 'talks like a lion outside, acts like a mouse within': Congress chief Kharge on border face-off

"Together we all have to face all the challenges with strength. We have seen that if we work hard, work according to the plan, then there is no doubt in defeating the BJP," he said.

Following up on his "organisational accountability from top to bottom" mantra made at the first Steering Committee he chaired earlier this month, Kharge said, "I want to add one more thing to it – performance Measurement. It should not happen that the appointments remain ornamental and the party does not benefit."

After six months of a new appointment, Kharge wants an assessment of the work of the office-bearer and on the basis of it, review or even reconsider the appointments.

With appointments to block and district levels happening in states at present, Kharge also instructed senior leaders to ensure that special attention should be there to ensure representation of all sections in committees, including at the state-level. "Make sure that merit and loyalty to party while choosing leaders for posts," he said.

Office bearers should attach qualified people with them and this would make the organisation "effective and strong", he said while warning against "personal likes and dislikes" making its way into appointments, which will make the organisation "hollow in such a way that we do not even know".

Also Read: 'What did maafi maangne waale do for freedom?' Kharge defends remark amid BJP backlash

"This creates frustration and apathy among the sincere and dedicated workers. That is why I think you should take special care that not even a single deserving person is ignored," he said.

Referring to the digital membership drive, he said 2.6 crore people have become members of the Congress and out of which around 9,800 have been assigned as PCC (state) delegates who participated in the Congress president election. He asked leaders to ensure that these delegates and other members are actively involved in the "Hath se Hath Jodo Abhiyan'.

On the Bharat Jodo Abhiyan, he said Rahul Gandhi is going to create history. With the yatra reaching Delhi, he said the Narendra Modi government is "nervous" and on some pretext, it wants to create obstructions.

"But this is a democracy. This hard work of Rahul-ji has created awareness among the people. We have to take this to the next level. We have to continue the dialogue with the public. You have to keep them constantly connected with you. The 'Haath Se Haath Jodo' campaign is a part of that," he said.

While handing over letters by the Congress president and Rahul as part of the 'Haath se Haath Jodo' campaign, Kharge said the workers should also collect basic information about the members of the houses they visit as it would be very useful for the party later.