Pre-session AICC rejig, Rahul Gandhi yatra over Land bill likely

NEW DELHI: With Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi expected to return to Delhi this week, an influential section of party leaders have started pushing for two crucial agenda: Reshuffle of the AICC secretariat by party president Sonia Gandhi ahead of the April AICC session, when her son would be elevated as party boss, and a national mass-contact programme by Rahul to spearhead agitation against the NDA government’s land bill, which the party has dubbed as ‘anti-farmer’ and ‘anti-poor’.

According to sources, the push for a reshuffle of AICC general secretaries and secretaries could also witness fresh induction into the Congress Working Committee, on the ground that installation of a new collective leadership ahead of the AICC session would help Sonia, “smoothen the transition pangs” besides enabling “Rahul to take-over the leadership and lead a team that signals both continuity and reconciliation of the old and new generation leaders.”

The leadership also thinks the agitation against land bill is the best plank for Rahul to embark on a nation-wide tour. “The details of Rahulji’s tour, whether it should be in the run up or after the AICC session are being discussed,” said a source. There are indications that Gandhi will soon attend a dharna and may address a rally in Delhi later this month on the land issue.

A party functionary told ET, “there is a feeling among many leaders that the re-shuffle of the AICC team could happen before the AICC session. This could happen soon after changes at the PCC level. The road-map for changes will be firmed up after Rahulji’s return”.

Among the dozen current AICC general secretaries, around five may make way for the entrants. A couple of outgoing general secretaries may be made PCC chiefs. A new crop would be also inducted as secretaries.

Incidentally, the show of unity between Ajay Maken and Sheila Dikshit on Sunday has led to speculation that Dikshit may be made an AICC general secretary as a peace-formula. If the Hooda camps gets the PCC chief ’s post in Haryana, an anti-Hooda group leader will make it to the AICC secretariat.

Congress is also thinking of naming two working presidents – a Punjabi Hindu and a Dalit – in Punjab where another Sikh will be made to succeed PS Bajwa as PCC chief.