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The idea behind choosing both Sardar Patel memorial as well as Sabarmati Ashram as venues is to reclaim the legacies of both the leaders who seem to have been usurped by the BJP
The AICC session could be followed by an organisational reshuffle or change where it is believed that a large chunk of people belonging to the camps of Rahul Gandhi and Kharge will be inducted. (PTI)
The Congress is back in Gujarat after 64 years for its all-India session on April 8 and 9 in Ahmedabad. The two-day event will begin from the Sardar Patel Memorial and move to the Sabarmati Ashram and banks of the Sabarmati River on the second day.
The choice of venue gives out multiple messages, given that the party, which is facing one poll defeat after another, is now looking for course correction with crucial elections coming up over the next year or two. The Congress plans to repackage and relaunch itself — once again. The idea behind choosing both Sardar Patel memorial and Sabarmati Ashram as venues is to reclaim the legacies of both the leaders who seem to have been usurped by the BJP. In fact, on multiple occasions, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has accused the Congress of being obsessed with the Gandhi family and neglecting icons such as Patel and Mahatma Gandhi.
Rahul Gandhi, however, has blamed the BJP for insulting and forgetting the principles of the Mahatma by defying constitutional norms.
The two-day session, which will be attended by the Congress top brass — including the three Gandhis and party president Mallikarjun Kharge — will focus on multiple issues but the key focus area will be the “danger” to the Constitution. A resolution will be passed, ensuring that constitutional principles are protected. Apart from that, the meet will also talk about the need to bring out an urgent caste census. Other topics of discussion will range from how the Backwards and Dalits are being neglected by the BJP and how the Waqf Bill has eliminated minorities — both Christians as well as Muslims.
The AICC session will also mark the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Patel and 100 years of Mahatma Gandhi as president of the party.
At the session, Congress will come out with multiple resolutions on economics in the backdrop of tariffs by the US as well as on social issues in the backdrop of need for caste census and attacks on minorities.
Another likely resolution is to try and balance the party’s individual identity while maintaining coalition dharma, given that parties like the Trinamool Congress, Samajwadi Party, and Aam Aadmi Party are said to have grown at the cost of the Congress and eaten into its traditional vote bank like Muslims and Dalits.
The Congress has been treated as a bit of a pariah by many INDIA bloc allies who, on multiple occasions, have been upset with the way the party is conducting itself. Amidst the snub, Rahul Gandhi’s idea of ‘Ekla Cholo Re’ [walk alone] is expected to be discussed in detail.
The AICC session could be followed by an organisational reshuffle or change where it is believed that a large chunk of people belonging to the camps of Rahul Gandhi and Kharge will be inducted. The idea is to balance experience with youth but, more importantly, the challenge before the session would be to ensure that the party remains attractive to its cadres. Given that leaders are leaving the Grand Old Party in search of a brighter political future, the task at hand for the Congress is to convince its people to stay.
It’s expected that the session will once again formalise the stamp of Rahul Gandhi’s politics on the party.