Develop leadership at grassroots level: Kharge to party cadre

Eyeing a comeback in the reserved seats across the country, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday inaugurated a Leadership Development Mission (LDM) workshop and urged the party cadre to help develop leadership at the grassroots level and not fight among each other.

Addressing the party leaders after inaugurating the LDM workshop for the SC, ST, OBC and the minorities wings at the party headquarters here, Kharge said, "It is grassroots work. Its purpose is to advance the agenda of social justice, helping the party strengthen in the elections."

He said that the companions associated with this mission are our helping hands.

He added that we all know that in the SC or ST dominated constituencies there has been lack of leadership.

"And your work is to become inevitable in your area and if you keep on depending on others then no one will develop. You people are the first who help the party and if the party needs your help and if they feel that you will be able to transfer all your votes then no one will leave you alone," Kharge said.

The Congress president, who is also the Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha said, "I am happy about this mission and would like to congratulate all the colleagues associated with it."

Kharge stated that the LDM was announced at the Udaipur Chintan Shivir in May last year.

"We are constantly pushing to strengthen the organization. Unless you are strong, don't stand on your own feet, don't instill self-respect in yourself, you can't move forward," Kharge said.

Urging the party leaders and workers to think about the party's future he said, "We have to promote leadership development. But that does not mean you start fighting with the local leadership and complain against them. You have to work in coordination with the local leadership," he added.

"You should not fight among yourselves. You should all support them. Most people try to target and try to pull down new leaders," he said.

"We are constantly pushing to strengthen the organisation. Unless you are strong or you don't stand on your own feet or instil self-respect in yourself, you cannot move forward," Kharge told the party workers.

He also launched a mobile application saying that it will strengthen the LDM by providing a one-stop platform for its members as well as Parliament coordinators for efficient communication.

"LDM members will also be able to connect with the public via this app," he added.

The Congress has launched the LDM programme to gain ground in the Lok Sabha seats which have a majority of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities and prepare groom from these communities.

According to party leaders, about 180 leaders from across the country will attend the meeting.

They said that leaders from 212 assembly seats in the four poll-bound states of Chhattisgarh, Telanagana, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh too will participate in the workshop.

The party is planning to prepare leaders from these SC and ST dominated seats for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections as well as the assembly polls scheduled later this year.

According to party leaders in the short term it will be started in 212 reserved Assembly seats in four states. It will also be started in 61 reserved Lok Sabha constituencies that will have elections in 2024.

Party leaders said that the 61 reserved Lok Sabha seats are the ones in which the Congress had polled second in the 2019 polls and where the party will fight in 2024 as well.