The Hindu : Cong. session to redraw strategy

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jun 13, 2003

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Cong. session to redraw strategy

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI JUNE 12. Just over a month after its Chief Ministers' conclave, the Congress leadership is to meet in Shimla from July 7 to 9 for a brainstorming session. This will be the second such exercise of its kind. The first was held in Pachmarhi in September 1998.

The three-day session will primarily focus on redrawing the party's political and electoral strategy ahead of the five Assembly elections this year and the general elections next year. It will also discuss some pet themes such as the economic policy, the position of the kisans and khet mazdoors and the empowerment of women.

According to the AICC general secretary, Ambika Soni, the party is in the process of setting up committees that will prepare theme papers.

These will form the basis of discussions that are to take place.

However, senior party leaders contend that the focus at the Shimla meeting will be on the new political strategy especially in the light of the leadership's decision to go in for electoral alliances as well as the possibility of forming a coalition at the Centre.

At the Pachmarhi conclave in 1998, the party's formulations on coalitions was that "it will be considered only when absolutely necessary and that too on the basis of agreed programmes, which will not weaken the party or compromise its basic ideology''.

However, at the Srinagar Chief Ministers' conclave the party's formulation on the issue was more forthcoming. The Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, clearly admitted the possibility of post-poll alliances and a coalition.

Yet another issue that is likely to figure prominently in the deliberations is repositioning of the party on economic issues. At the national convention of block presidents held in the Capital, the Congress leadership sought to reposition the party on the side of the poor and even gave a new slogan: Congress ka haath, garibo ke saath (Congress by the side of the poor).

However, the challenge before the party is to reconcile the difference in the position it adopts on issues such as disinvestment and privitisation with the new slogan the leadership wants the party to adopt.

The party will also have to devise a strategy that takes into account the fact that nearly all its Chief Ministers are in favour of disinvestment and privitisation, with the politically expedient policy of a different approach at the Centre.

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