Congress extends membership-drive

NEW DELHI: The Congress leadership has decided to extend the membership-drive of the party beyond the February-end deadline by making it, for the first time a continuous process instead of limiting it as a traditional pre-AICC session exercise once in three years. But, the leadership will hold the initial rounds of the organizational elections on the basis of the enrollment till 28, February. This, plan, sources said, will enable the leadership to convene an AICC session during March-April, tentatively slated during the recess period of budget session of Parliament.

As decided by the last CWC meeting, the leadership will place before the special AICC session a proposal to amend the party constitution to usher in six changes in including the latest proposal to make membership-drive a continuous process; The other pending five proposals are; enlarge the scope membership-drive by using web, smart phone App; make a common membership for all Congress frontal organisations; enhance quota for SC, ST, OBCs, minorities, women in party panels from 25 to 50% and completeting the organization elections in three phases. These are in addition to the proposal to revise the active-membership criteria and making office bearers’ term three from the current five years.

AICC general secretary Janardan Dwivedi who, is under the scanner of AICC disciplinary action committee for his recent "Modi's is seen as victory of Indianess" remark was a conspicuous absentee at the meeting at AICC on Friday.