Stunned by the result of Assembly election in Jharkhand the Congress today decided to follow the only choice left — reaching out to the people of Jharkhand—and bring more people under its influence. Concerned at the eroding base in Jharkhand the party on Tuesday called a meeting of the State executive committee and vowed to take the organisation to the days of its prime. The meeting was attended by Congress’ Jharkhand in-charge, BK Hariprasad.
“We discussed organisational aspect of the party. We are aiming to strengthen the party from block to the State level. We will give reports to leaders of the party to strengthen the organisation,” said JPCC president Sukhdeo Bhagat.
The party has decided to leave behind the bitter experiences of the two elections—lok Sabha and Assembly elections—and connect to the people through membership drive. Congress which grabbed about 10.50 per cent in the Assembly election now aims to make about 80 new members across Jharkhand and expanding the target upto 10-lakh new members in the State.
After reports of indiscipline it was time for tough posturing for the party to set things straight to bring the party on the course of political recovery in Jharkhand. However, everything boiled down to due diligence when it came to punishing erring party members blamed to have worked contrary to the interest of the party during elections.
“We will not tolerate irrelevant talks and we have asked leaders to not make unwarranted statements. We will identify people who have worked against the party and there is a process to follow for taking actions,” pointed out the JPCC president.
Interestingly, allegations flew thick and fast at the executive committee meeting of the Jharkhand Pradesh Congress Committee which was called to get a pulse of what went wrong for the oldest political party in the last two elections especially the Assembly election in the State. Nonetheless, party seniors are yet to make up their minds about taking stern actions for the poll debacle.
Party insiders revealed that district presidents attacked the state’s leadership and people at the helm in the State with utterly derogatory remarks. Although party leaders washed the dirty linen behind closed doors they shielded the entire proceedings behind the garb of routine meeting to focus on post poll strategies to connect with the people of Jharkhand.
Sources in the party disclosed that the meeting was called following a letter from the party president Sonia Gandhi shot to the state leadership asking latter to find out reasons for the pathetic performance in Assembly elections in which the Congress was reduced to the mere strength of six in the 81 members Assembly.
Significantly, in Wednesday’s meeting the state leadership is likely to take up the issue of party-men who are blamed to have worked against the party in elections.