District units to be focal point of ‘new Cong’; Kharge stresses on accountability

New Delhi: The top Congress leadership on Wednesday decided to empower its district units and make them the central point of its organisational transformation, while party chief Mallikarjun Kharge stressed on holding office-bearers accountable for poll outcomes.

The Congress top brass also decided to take out ‘relay yatras’ across the country starting mid-April, which will conclude on January 26, 2026, while fulfilling the party’s resolution passed at the Belagavi working committee meeting held last December.

At a meeting of party general secretaries and in-charges of various states, the Congress leaders deliberated for around seven hours on ways to strengthen the organisation at the grassroots level, and chalked out a detailed plan.

It was the first meeting of the revamped party office-bearers after a major organisational rejig. It was also the first meeting of the top party brass held at the new AICC headquarters at Indira Bhawan.

Several issues, including the recent appointment of the chief election commissioner and the government’s “control” over the poll body, voter list “manipulation”, price rise and growing economic disparities in the society were discussed at the meeting.

All the leaders spoke on strengthening the organisation at the grassroots level and decided to make its district units the “central point” of the revamped organisation.

In his inaugural address, Kharge did some plain-speaking with the new office-bearers, stressing that they will be held accountable for future election results and for the organisational strength in states under their charge, asking them to be wary of “ideologically weak turncoats”.

Kharge emphasised the importance of promoting those who are committed to the ideology of the Congress and “stand with us like a rock even in adverse circumstances”.

He also hinted at more changes in the organisation, saying while some changes have already taken place, more are in the offing.

“I want to talk to you about the most important thing of accountability. You all will be held accountable for revamping the organisations in the states and for all future election results,” he told the office-bearers. Among those who attended the meeting were former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, senior leaders Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, K C Venugopal and all general secretaries and in-charges from various states.