Congress panel calls for state-specific constitutions for party

While the larger principles of the party will remain, the state-specific Constitutions will allow state units to have political maneuvering space and address the diversity

A panel drafting structural changes in Congress is suggesting a "time-bound review" of party constitution where it envisages the possibility of state committees having separate constitutions.

The suggestion was made by a nine-member committee on organisational issues headed by Mukul Wasnik in which senior leaders Ajay Maken, Tariq Anwar, Ramesh Chennithala, Randeep Surjewala, Adhir Ranjan Chaudhary, Netta D’Souza and Meenakshi Natarajan are members.

Sources said the draft resolution prepared by the committee indicated that the state units of Congress can have separate Constitutions with the approval of the Congress Working Committee.

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While the larger principles of the party will remain, sources said, the state-specific Constitutions will allow state units to have political maneuvering space and address the diversity.

The need for a review of the party Constitution comes against the backdrop of new challenges and changes in the political scenario, sources said.

The committee has also recommended structural changes by recommending intermediate committees between state and district as well as block and booth committees for better coordination.

With the party facing criticism over jumbo committees, the committee has recommended that the size of committees from Block to the state level should be rationalised proportionally according to the number of villages, wards, mandals, cities and districts. It suggested that the representation of Dalits, tribals, OBCs, minorities and women in committees should be 50 per cent.

Another important suggestion from the panel is the "urgent need" for setting up a Political Affairs Committee, Public Insight Committee and a committee on Public Policy. There is also need for a committee to coordinate with different citizen's group, civil society and workers, the draft resolution suggested.

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The tenure of office bearers from AICC to the district level should be fixed. Frontal organisations, cells and departments should be consulted in local body elections.

While the panel suggested that AICC and state general body meetings should be held twice a year, sources said, state and district executive committees should meet every quarter. There should be district and state conferences on political issues that must be organised periodically while the AICC Plenary should be held every five years.

There has been emphasis on training with the draft talking about setting up a training institute. Training should be an ongoing process with regular online seminars, online video courses and leadership programmes, sources quoted from the draft.

Sources also said the Communications Department of the party should be revamped. Media, social media, research, data and analytics and 'vichar vibhag' should form an "integral part” of the communication department. The panel also suggested that regional convenors should be appointed.