Kerala Congress suggests finding out potential donors among party workers

The Congress unit in Kerala appears to have taken a leaf out of the CPI(M) and has suggested that the party should identify workers who can donate a fixed amount every month, organise ‘Political Schools’ and form unit committees with 15-20 party families.

These suggestions were given to the party leadership for consideration at the ‘Chintan Shivir’ here.

The CPI(M) collects levy from its workers depending on their income, holds ‘party schools’ to educate their cadre and its lowest unit ‘branch committees’ have 15-20 members. However, the donor system envisaged by the Kerala unit is not a compulsory one.

The Congress state unit has given ten recommendations for consideration to the Chintan Shivir, which sources said also include holding “summits” on secularism and economy, a unit committee as the lowest panel, a political school and earmarking 50% of seats those below the age of 50 years.

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Sources said the party should identify workers who can “donate a fixed amount of money for the party’s functioning on a monthly basis”. They said the donors should be able to deposit money into a specified bank account by the 10th of each month.

Another suggestion is of having a Political School with specified curriculum and academic faculty that train leaders and workers on Congress ideology, discipline, strategy, Indian constitution and demography. Structured training must be made compulsory for every party worker from top to bottom, sources said quoting from the recommendations.

The Kerala unit also suggested an overhaul of the party organisation structure and wanted unit committees consisting of 15-20 Congress families to be formed below the existing booth level committees, which are presently the lowest panel. The branch committees of CPI(M) in Kerala has 15-20 members.

The committee on organisation for the Chintan Shivir headed by senior leader Mukul Wasnik has suggested that mandal committees should be formed below the block committees.

It wants more youth representation in party and electoral politics and has suggested that 50% should be reserved for fresh and new faces below the age of 50 who have proved their mettle through the frontal organisations.

Putting more foot on the ground during crisis situations, the party unit has also suggested that the party should set up disaster management and social service teams at district level. There should be a medical and palliative team with ambulance support at district level besides a trained wing for serving at the time of natural calamities is also vital to bring the party closer to the general public.

There should be annual nationwide fund raising campaigns and finance committees should be constituted. In order to ensure financial transparency, sources said, PCC and DCC accounts may be audited periodically.