If BJP floated the idea of 'Mardarshak Mandal', an advisory body for veterans, Congress decides to retain most old-war horses in the party's highest policy making body itself. Thus, Dr Manmohan Singh, now 90 and Lal Thanhawla (81, former Mizoram CM) are included. So is 82-A K Antony, a trusted lieutenant of Sonia Gandh but whose son Anil joined BJP recently.
Age is not a bar in the grand old party. AICC president Malikarjin Kharge could have come to the post accidentally after Ashok Gehlot declined to give up as Rajasthan Chief Minister. Kharge is also 81.
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| Sachin Pilot's entry into CWC is a crucial move |
If son embracing enemy camp is not a crime; even G-23 rebellion is partly forgotten.
From the G-23 club prominent faces like Ghulam Nabi Azad and Kapil Sibal are already out of the Congress. AICC chief Kharge brought in Veerappa Moily and Manish Tewari (both G-23 members) as permanent invitees into the CWC. Three others from the onetime rebellion camp Shashi Tharoor, Anand Sharma and Mukul Wasnik get full membership.
Kharge's intent could be to give a message that the 'new Congress culture' does not mind mere rebellion !
#Ashok Gehlot is the newsmaker of the day as his name was dropped from #CWC...in October 2022, he was 'sure' as #AICC president provided he resigned as Chief Minister of Rajasthan.
This could be surprising but Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot has been shown the door from CWC. A former political advisor to Rahul Gandhi as Congress general secretary in-charge 'organisation', he has to remain contended with being CM till the polls. Of course, he may sweat it out to win it again; but what is the guarantee he would not get another round of raw deal.
For Gehlot's rival Sachin Pilot, after a series of cold shoulder treatment and 'repeated assurances' that his concerns will be looked after, he has been now included in the CWC.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah too has been dropped. Of course, along with D K Shivakumar he was the architect of Congress party's victory in the just concluded Karnataka assembly elections.
Tariq Anwar's inclusion could be surprising. He was once political advisor to AICC president Sitaram Kesri. Tariq was with P A Sangna, now deceased, and Sharad Pawar forming the famous Troika opposing Sonia Gandhi's foreign origin! The 'Amar Akbar Anthony' has really made a full turn !!
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| Tharoor |
Others who made it also include Mukul Wasnik, Anand Sharma, Ashok Chavan, Ajay Maken, Charanjit Singh Channi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Kumari Selja.
Among die-hard party loyalists and good debaters in Parliament are Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Salman Khurshid and Jairam Ramesh.
All eyes will be on the new team and assignments Kharge could announce. Will Jairam Ramesh, a handpick of Rahul Gandhi and who reportedly pushed the Bharat Jodo Yatra hard, continue to get prominence?
Will K C Venugopal, a Kerala leader, also get AICC general secretary in-charge organisation ?
If Congress loses out Rajasthan or if Sachin Pilot cannot become Chief Minister, he could be preferred as AICC general secretary in-charge organisation especially during 2024 polls. Pilot being comfortable in Hindi will be a major factor and moreover in 2018 assembly polls, Pilot played a major role in ensuring party's return to power.
"I am honoured by the decision of the @INCIndia President Shri Mallikarjun @Kharge ji and the Congress central leadership to nominate me to the Working Committee. As one who is aware of the historic role played by the CWC in guiding the party over the last 138 years, I am humbled and grateful to be part of this institution, and look forward to the opportunity to serve the party alongside my dedicated colleagues," Shashi Tahroor tweeted. He was the part of G-23 group which had called for overhauling the 'system' in Congress party.
"None of us can accomplish anything without the lakhs of committed workers who are the lifeblood of the party. Today, above all, I bow to them. The countless Indians who seek a more inclusive and accepting India deserve the best from us," he further wrote.
Senior Congress leader from Kerala, Ramesh Chennithala has to be content with being a permanent invitee in the reconstituted Congress Working Committee (CWC), instead of being a member. His supporters in Kerala say Chennithala had a speedy rise, becoming minister in the Kerala government under K. Karunakaran at the age of 27.
"He was a permanent invitee of the Congress party 19 years before and again including him in the same list does not look nice," says one of them.
Besides Tharoor, even Mukul Wasnik, and Anand Sharma had raised the 'revolt bogey' and have found place in the reconstituted Congress Working Committee.
"Chennithala who has always toed the party line is out of the highest decision-making body of the Congress. This is insult to a genuine and natural leader of the Congress," one of his supporters said.
Chennithala stayed away from media and his 'protest' is likely to surface. Another K C Venugopal, also AICC general secretary in-charge organisation, has been retained.
With the BJP more than keen to enlist disgruntled Congressmen for its fledgling Kerala unit, Chennithala could be a man to watch.
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