TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: The State Congress’s Chintan Shibir threw up a lot of ideas – many of which made a lot of sense. Deliberating on organizational issues, the Shibir coordinated by the Jawaharlal Nehru Leadership Institute has very clearly flagged that the party has not been able to draw in fresh talent.
GPCC President Luizinho Faleiro has very clearly said that “one single realization rings loud and clear. The search for new, young and fresh political talent to take the Congress organization forward needs to be our topmost priority.” He went on to say, “No amount of review, reinterpretation, reinvention and reaffirmation can take us to the final goal of strengthening and consolidation of the Congress organization unless we inject fresh blood.”
However, this is easier said than done. As of now the party does not have an organisation worth its name. The LS polls have clearly shown that even in South Goa constituency, from where the Congress had sent MPs to Parliament almost continuously, there was nobody to man the booths and the election campaign had to be literally outsourced to Independent MLA Vijai Sardessai – who incidentally left the Congress after he was denied a ticket for the State Assembly elections.
This situation is endemic to almost all constituencies where there is nobody but the local MLAs or the former MLAs close circle of men, who shift loyalties along with their leader. Sources pointed out that Congress MLAs want no threat to their position and so ensure that there are no rungs of leadership at the constituency level.
Political analysts said this is a major hindrance which has stonewalled young people from joining the party as they see no future in the organization, except in becoming sycophants which they are not comfortable being. The party is in a catch 22 situation and though the intentions and the plans at the shibir are spot on, implementation will take time and planning. According to analysts and insiders, this will be impossible unless the party decides to rebuild and not just take winability as the supreme criteria for giving posts and tickets. It has to instead concentrate on giving talented people a chance and building the party infrastructure in every constituency, consciously independent of MLAs or older leaders while taking the established leaders along.
