'Such people run away in difficult times': Kharge warns against Congress inducting outsiders 'weak in ideology'

While asking party leaders to go to the grassroots, Kharge said they should bring in 'trustworthy and ideologically strong' people into the party, who are 'useful for the party' but has not got a chance.

New Delhi: Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday warned leaders against inducting outsiders in a hurry without ascertaining their commitment, saying such people desert the party in difficult times.

He instructed General Secretaries and in-charges to scout for ideologically inclined people at the grassroots, who could add value to the organisation, as part of strengthening the party.

He also told the senior leaders, including the newly appointed 11 General Secretaries and in-charges, that they would be accountable for "future election results" of the states under their charge.

Outlining the work for the next five years, he said the Congress should raise issues of people's interests and continuously fight for them to emerge as the main opposition and only then they become the "first choice" of the people.

Addressing a meeting of General Secretaries and in-charges here, he insisted that they could add more "trustworthy and ideologically strong people" if they visit and have strategies for booth, mandal, block, district and state levels.

Kharge said they could facilitate such people who can be very useful for the party, but did not get a chance so far.

"We should promote such people committed to the ideology of Congress, who stand with us like a rock even in adverse circumstances. Many times, in order to strengthen the party, many people are inducted in a hurry. But people who are weak in ideology run away in difficult times…We should stay away from such people," he said.

He said it is their responsibility to strengthen the organisation from state headquarters to booth level as soon as possible.

"You will have to go to the booth yourself for this work, work hard, interact with the workers. Our frontal organisations and Cells will have to be involved. I especially want to talk about INTUC, they are an important part of us, and involve them too in organisation building," he said.

Referring to Delhi elections, he said leaders, workers and candidates worked hard despite resource crunch. Delhiites have voted for change, he added.

He said the 'Samvidhan Bachao Abhiyan' is going on and it would continue for the next one year. Activities like padyatra, ‘samvad’, corner meetings can be conducted under this. But the aim of every such program should be the empowerment of the organisation, he said.