Cong convention on Jan 11 to ignite party work force

In the run up to the Assembly polls in 5 states, the Congress is organising a day long National Convention on January 11 to highlight the sins of omission and commission of the Narendra Modi government, particularly the demonetisation disaster.

While Rahul Gandhi is expected to preside over the convention, over 6000 delegates are expected to attend which includes district and block level presidents to PCCs and the office bearers, former MPs and MLAs, Congress working committee members, AICC office bearers, frontal organisations and senior leaders.

To be held at Delhi’s Talkatora Stadium, party leaders are expected to speak on the misrule and mismanagement of Narendra Modi and his government and how the common man right down to the grass roots has been affected by the faulty policies of the Modi regime. The Delhi PCC will play host to the convention with the party spending a great deal of money to host all the leaders coming from outside, making arrangements for their accommodation, food and other sundry expenses.

Within the party there is considerable criticism on why such a convention is being held at a time when the AICC is facing a financial crunch and can ill afford big bang extravaganzas. Apart from that Assembly elections to 5 crucial states is being held and the party needs to put all its energy, man power, financial resources into winning these elections where a great deal is riding for the congress party, said a senior AICC office bearer.

Party leaders say at this stage it is important to put the party’s energy into effective ticket distribution, campaigning and contesting the polls, rather than holding day long national conventions which is nothing more than an exercise in academic tongue lashing.  Senior leaders say at this stage, while winning has to be the congress party’s top priority, the next important agenda is to stop the BJP from winning in order to lessen Modi’s grip within his own party for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

The states going to the polls are Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur. While Congress is not a big player in UP, it needs to make the right moves and stop the BJP from winning the state, which includes making the right alliances if required. In Punjab, the congress needs to win at any cost since this is the last election for Captain Amrinder and if the Congress loses, it could mean the end of the Congress in Punjab.