Calls for revamp of Congress’s Bihar unit grow

Amid deteriorating ties with ally Rashtriya Janata Dal, a section of state Congress leaders is likely to meet the top party leadership to urge setting up of committees with important leaders for key positions

PATNA: Calls for a revamp of the Bihar’s Congress unit have grown after the party’s dismal performance in elections in five states, including neighbouring Uttar Pradesh.

Former Bihar Congress chief Anil Sharma on Sunday asked Congress leadership to get rid of non-performing leaders. (ANI)

Former state party chief Anil Sharma, who spearheaded a campaign in New Delhi for the revamp last year, on Sunday asked Congress to get rid of non-performing leaders from the block level to prepare for 2024 national elections. He referred to the poor performance in the state elections and tweeted the leadership is not responsible for it. “This is purely the failure of the organisational and election machinery of the party.”

Amid deteriorating ties with ally Rashtriya Janata Dal, a section of state Congress leaders is likely to meet the top party leadership to urge setting up of committees with important leaders for key positions.

A second Congress leader said a majority of district units are still being led by those appointed in 2017 while the state committees have not been reconstituted despite repeated assurances from Bhakta Charan Das, the party’s Bihar in charge. He called for a need to give key positions to energetic and dedicated leaders to revive the organisation.

Another former state Congress chief, Chandan Bagchi, questioned the rationale behind carrying on with the team of leaders after successive defeats in elections. “Senior leaders, who could contribute significantly for the party’s resurrection, have been sidelined.”

A fourth leader said that the party’s popularity was declining since the leadership began relying on the state in-charges for every decision. “The situation was not bad till five years ago when senior leaders had access to the party chief. Sonia Gandhi used to give a patient hearing to us whenever we approached her and raised any issue not heeded to by the in charge. But now, our requests for meeting with the top brass are ignored,” he said.