Are Sonia’s ‘committees’ merely part of political stunt without any ‘meaning’?

New Delhi: Congress president Sonia Gandhi has formed six committees. She and the coordinators of these committees may know exactly what these committees are supposed to do, however, what was said in the Congress’ press conference and the news carried out by national media, does not shed light on the roles of these committees. It is being said that these six committees will prepare a strategy for the general elections of 2024. But the question is, what will be the strategy for 2024 from now on? In the matter of farmers and agriculture or in the economic matter, Congress is yet to formulate a strategy, on the basis of which it has to contest the next general election? However, electoral strategy is a totally different thing, which six committees cannot make separately. Secondly, the election strategy is made on the basis of various types of data related to elections.

Therefore, it does not seem that these six committees will formulate a strategy for the election. Their work is to prepare the agenda for the Nav Sankalp Chintan Shivir to be held in Udaipur, Rajasthan from May 13 to 15. In this sense, it can be said that this is not a new thing. Such committees are formed every time before Congress’ Chintan Shivir or before its general session and reports are sought from them. That report is put up for discussion in the session and then it is accepted.

Such Congress committees had given their reports even when the last session of the Congress was held at the Indira Gandhi Stadium in Delhi. Interestingly, even then Bhupinder Singh Hooda was the chairman of the committee on farmers and agriculture and this time also he has been given this responsibility. He prepared his report from his personal experience and after talking to several agricultural experts. In this, many suggestions were given from increasing the minimum support price of crops to increasing the scope of MSP.

However, these committees are not entirely useless and have some use as well. Through these, the Congress high command has given a message to the party workers that the party leadership is doing something. Secondly, by giving place to many disgruntled leaders of the party, a message has been given that the party is working after taking everyone’s opinion. Keep in mind that the leaders of the G-23 had pointed out the need for collective leadership. Therefore the leaders of that group have also been included in these committees. Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Mukul Wasnik have been made the conveners of two committees. Apart from them, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Manish Tewari, Akhilesh Prasad Singh etc. have been made members. In this sense, it can be said that this is a political stunt, which has no special meaning.