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Salman gets his team, finally
The Congress on Tuesday released a jumbo list of office-bearers of the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC) that has been reconstituted after a long gap.
The Congress on Tuesday released a jumbo list of office-bearers of the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC) that has been reconstituted after a long gap.
Though UPCC president Salman Khurshid had taken over the state Congress on November 19, 2004, he had been waiting for the high command's nod for revamping the unit. The shake-up gives Khurshid a complete team to lead the Congress in the coming Assembly polls.
The UPCC will now have 22 vice-presidents, 32 general secretaries, 101 secretaries and 101 executive members. The list also includes names of 49 special invitees and permanent invitees. All former UPCC presidents, CLP leaders, eight sector in-charges, sitting MPs, MLAs, AICC office-bearers and chairpersons of frontal organisations have been made permanent members.
Salman Khurshid may have worked hard to accommodate various factions but he will have to work harder to make his jumbo team work in cohesion ahead of the polls.
A close scrutiny of the list indicates two things. One, the Congress is trying to woo back Brahmin, Muslim, Dalit and backward classes vote bank. Two, an attempt is being made to contain the growing factionalism.
Besides giving a larger representation to Brahmins and Muslims, the Congress has also given a fair representation to Dalits, backward classes and other castes.
However, some Congress leaders are not at all impressed. Khurshid appears to have relied more on his confidants and lightweights to make functioning easier, they feel. Out of 22 vice presidents, half a dozen have been chosen because of their proximity to Khurshid. A dozen others have been picked for regional considerations. Others on the list include nominees of Khurshid's detractors.
Commenting on his team, Khurshid countered the view that many light weights had been accommodated. Only those who have been working hard have been accommodated, he said.
