Young Congress leaders turn masters of ceremonies

New Delhi: Leaving behind the tradition of senior leaders conducting the plenary, Congress moved on to a more informal setting and a show managed by younger leaders at its 84th session.

The young Congress president’s imprint was visible at every step of the plenary. Party functionaries said Gandhi had strictly instructed that Congress needed to move on. The senior leaders were shifted down from the main dais to a common row-wise seating arrangement.

The steering committee members, or former Congress chief Sonia Gandhi’s working committee, were in the front row in order of precedence. Congress veteran Janardan Dwivedi, who recently had a fall, passed on the mantle to younger leaders. Over the years, Dwivedi had emerged as the party’s master of ceremonies.


But this time, younger leaders like Ragini Nayak, Nadeem Javed, Akhilesh Pratap Singh and Sanjay Jha were seen holding the fort.

Be it introduction of former PM Singh with a rockstar-like music and standing ovation, or a 2-minute video clip portraying the theme “change is now” before Rahul’s speech, it was a more relaxed Congress on show.

Long-winding speeches gave way to a TV studio approach, with panel discussions around themes like India of 2030. “This was the first time we introduced panel discussions, with emphasis on a mix of veterans and the youth,” said a Congress functionary.

Gandhi proudly showcased the change as he said he had got the stage vacated to fill it “with all you enthusiastic and hardworking young men and women”. “Have you ever seen a stage like this of any political party?” he asked as the crowd cheered him on.