Preparations in full swing for the proposed Sankalp Chintan Shivir of Congress

Preparations are in full swing in both Delhi’s AICC headquarters and at Udaipur for the proposed Sankalp Chintan Shivir of the Congress.

Excitement is palpable in the city of Udaipur for this Shivir that would see the participation of all big leaders of the Congress. The Shivir will almost have the same flavor that is usually witnessed during an AICC session and like the AICC session, the various committees formed would submit their report that would form the basis for the introspection camp. Thus it is likely that the camp will discuss issues beyond the party’s dismal performance in the recent poll.

It is likely that the party’s leader would affect some changes in a few states where the Pradesh Congress would be reorganised and new appointments of PCC presidents would be made. The party is likely to make such new appointments before the Udaipur camp which is scheduled from May 13 to 15.

The change in Haryana has already been carried out by replacing Selja Kumari with Udaybhan, a four-time Haryana Vidhan Sabha legislator. Prior to Haryana, the party-appointed Mandi MP Pratibha Singh as the President of the Pradesh Congress. She is the wife of the late Chief Minister Virbhandra Singh and she replaced Kuldeep Rathore, who served as the PCC president for three years. Four working chiefs have also been appointed to assist her. The four working president appointees are- Harsh Mahajan, Rajinder Rana, who defeated former CM Prem Kumar Dhumal, Pawan Kajal, and Vinay Kumar.

Thus in some states where Pradesh Congress would be reconstituted, apart from President, other working presidents would also be appointed. It is felt that in some states where there is a need for revamping the Pradesh Congress, it should be done before the Chintan Shivir to enable the new President to attend the Udaipur meet.

The AICC has put on hold all the appointments of the Rajasthan Congress. Thus all the remaining political appointments in various boards, corporations, and other bodies under the state government will have to wait till the Udaipur Shivir is over.

Political appointments on large scale were done in February and in March, but several appointments to some key posts were deferred and now these appointments are likely to be done after the Udaipur Shivir.

The Pradesh Congress has formed a few committees that would help in coordination and make arrangements for the Shivir. The Pradesh Congress will allow very limited participation in this Shivir for the state-level leaders.

The Pradesh Congress has finalised the first list of participants from the state and it includes Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, AICC general secretary Ajay Maken, former deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot, Rajya Sabha member Neeraj Dangi, CWC member Raghuveer Meena, AICC national spokesperson Mohan Prakash,, AICC general secretary Jitendra Singh, AICC general secretary for Gujarat Raghu Sharma, AICC general secretary for Punjab Harish Choudhry, AICC secretaries Zubair Khan and Dheeraj Gurjar, former Union ministers Namo Narayan Meenaand Lal Chand Kataria and former PCC presidents Girija Vyas, B D Kalla,Dr Chandrbhan, former leader of Opposition Rameshwar Dudi and Memaram Choudhry and ministers in Gehlot’s cabinet Shanti Dhariwal, Mahendrajit Singh Malviya, Arjun Singh Bamaniya and Mamta Bhupesh.