Rahul Gandhi seeks nominees from state units for AICC

NEW DELHI: Rahul Gandhi has asked Congress state units for five names to be considered for posts in the party headquarters, raising expectations that the future organizational reshuffle would not be a one-way street from the central leadership.

The Congress vice-president is learnt to have underlined that the five leaders should be competent and eager to work for the organization. The state units would now shortlist the names. The requisition is seen as linked to potential candidates to be put in the AICC as secretaries, the junior post, and, to a lesser extent, for senior positions.

Never consulted on personnel issues, the unusual demand from the Gandhi scion caught the leaders off-guard but there is elation that they are being sought out in the reconstitution of the organization.

The novel initiative portends that the coming organizational rejig would bear Rahul Gandhi's fingerprint, whether it comes before or after his elevation as Congress chief. The heir apparent is likely to take over from Sonia Gandhi later this year.

Rahul is in the process of interacting with Congress state presidents and legislature party leaders/chief ministers, probing them about organizational issues as well as coordination between the two party wings.

That the leadership should ask states for names is seen as a unique initiative. While it is bound to end the grievance that provincial heads are not consulted in picking what are seen as future managers, it is also likely to put the onus of an individual's performance on the leader who recommends him.

"Importantly, it will give states a sense of participation in the shaping of the AICC," an office-bearer said.

Rahul has spelt out his ideas in recent months, prominent among them being the diversity of leadership at the Centre and in states, and an active and younger leadership.

The appointments made by Rahul in state units and AICC, too, have been on the younger side. It has triggered speculation if the reshuffle would be heavy on the side of the GenNext.

At a recent closed-door interaction, he advocated his view on multiple leaders by citing the example of YS Rajasekhara Reddy who he said was a tall leader but that one helicopter accident finished the party in Andhra Pradesh. He was referring to Congress's abysmal turn of fortunes in the southern state after the death of its mascot — YSR.