'Conditions' will apply on Congress 'one family one ticket' norm

On the first day of the Congress Chintan Shivir on Friday, a clear signal has come from the leadership that it will apply conditions and exemptions on the much touted "one family, one ticket" norm.

AICC general secretary Ajay Maken said in Udaipur that while the Shivir is keen to have the norm in place, an aspiring "second member of a family can be considered for a party ticket only if he or she has already put in at least five years work in the party's organisational work"

This, technically, should qualify all three members of the Gandhi family. Clearly, both Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka would be qualified to contest even if Sonia Gandhi chooses to retire from electoral politics on health or any other grounds. This also will also quality many of the other powerful "family trees" in the party from across the country.


The party also talked about another proposal - as ET had earlier reported - to reserve 50 per cent of seats in party panels for leaders below the age of 50 as an incentive for youth. However, Maken said the Congress believes "in making use of both old and young in the party", and that tradition would continue.

Of course, Maken added, the final decisions on all these will be made on the consensus of the delegates participating in the Chintan Shivir.