Congress Ramps Up Organisation Drive in Himachal, Leaders Call for Unity Ahead of Elections
Shimla: Senior Congress leaders on Friday urged party workers to strengthen the organisation at the grassroots level and work in unison as the party gears up for future electoral battles in Himachal Pradesh.
Addressing the State Congress Committee’s General Assembly meeting at Rajiv Bhavan in Shimla, AICC Himachal Pradesh affairs in-charge Rajni Patil emphasized the need to expand the party structure across the state and complete the ongoing organisational campaign within the stipulated timeframe.
She called for the early formation of Block, Zone and Panchayat-level committees in all areas and stressed that regular monthly meetings of District, Block and Zone Congress units should be made mandatory. Patil said reports of these meetings should be forwarded to the All India Congress Committee through the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) to ensure better coordination and accountability.
She also underlined the need for Congress to establish its own office buildings in every district, saying stronger infrastructure would help deepen the party’s reach among the people.
During her address, Patil also raised concerns over issues affecting the youth, including the NEET paper leak, and criticized the BJP over the alleged theft of donations from Ayodhya temple donation boxes. She said people should be made aware of issues concerning both young aspirants and public faith.
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu urged party leaders and workers to actively counter what he described as misinformation and propaganda against the state government, particularly on media and social media platforms. He asked Congress workers to effectively communicate the government’s policies and welfare initiatives to the public.
The Chief Minister said his government had taken significant steps toward strengthening the rural economy and making Himachal Pradesh more self-reliant. He also asserted that the Congress would expose the alleged shortcomings and corruption of the previous BJP government with facts and evidence.
Looking ahead, Sukhu said the party was entering an important political phase and that strategies for upcoming elections would be formulated in consultation with senior leaders. He announced that workers’ conferences would soon be organised across the state and promised direct interaction with party cadres.
State Congress President Vinay Kumar said the party would intensify its membership and organisational expansion campaign. He claimed that more than 300 BJP workers joined Congress in Shimla on the first day of the drive and expressed confidence that several thousand more could join the party in the coming weeks.
He directed district and block presidents to hold regular meetings between the 1st and 10th of every month and submit reports to the PCC. He also announced that ministers would be assigned district responsibilities to directly engage with party workers and address their concerns.
Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri called on Congress leaders to begin preparations for the next Assembly elections, saying the party had several issues to highlight against the BJP. He credited the Congress government for restoring the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) and urged party members to remain united and focused.
The meeting was also addressed by Public Works Minister Vikramaditya Singh, State Organisation General Secretary Vinod Zinta, AICC Secretary and state co-incharge Chetan Chauhan, Vidit Chaudhary, and several district and block Congress presidents, who presented reports on organisational activities in their respective areas.
