In a sense, the Indian National Congress’s 84^th plenary session was wonderful, as it formalized that Rahul Gandhi is to lead the Party as its President. Some of the many initiatives are of great significance which was taken at face value. Let’s begin the matter by summarizing what he wants to do in the party in the future.

The first and foremost thing he wants in the party are the young generation as top echelons of the party. Especially, as it would appear is the Congress Working Committee (CWC), Parliamentary Board and so on. But all of this needs to be done on gradual manner so that the old and veterans can find their suitable place. They, the younger generation, will be set to evolve into advisers, guides for the coming generations. For this he has to demolish the generation wall.

The second part is to accord better treatment for the workers in general and in particular. This plenary was designed as worker-centric by Rahul Gandhi as he invited cadres to attend it. But this idea of his did not take off due to some reasons.

The third part is the idea of CWC being elected, sometimes mooted by Rahul Gandhi in order to bring all its members in regular touch with masses. But the idea was shouted upon. The All-India Congress Committee (AICC) also passed a resolution stating that the president of the party shall nominate the apex body of the party, its executive committee, as it were. In addition to that, without specifying what exactly was supposed to mean, the party president made organizational reform a must among the priorities.

To delve back briefly into the history of the organization, may provide some crucial clues for what exactly all this adds up to. In September 1946, the Congress formed a central government and in seven out of 11 provinces under the Government of India, 1935.  And a year later, independence was declared. These governments elected on a small franchise, still continued to govern until elections were held in a proper way with the guarantee under constitutional provisions and as a result, assumed office in the year 1952.

The taking over the government began the process of transforming the party of Congress, from just being a mass movement which struggled for independence to become a party representing the general public in the form of a government.

From the year 1946 and till 1950, as even a cursory perusal of the All India Congress Committee will show up the fact that the obsessive concern concentrated within the central leadership, especially the ‘high command’, about the gradual degeneration of the party. It was also felt by then leaders that the party was losing its grounds and base contact with the general public. The main reason cited for this was that the leaders were pretty much happy to get engaged in public offices, parliament and legislatures rather than getting involved with the general public for their welfare work. The moral degeneration has just started and the party started falling apart.