Congress manages to enrol only 1.5 lakh members in five months

Among these 1.5 lakh members, around 75,000 are from Rae Bareli alone — the constituency of party president Sonia Gandhi. While Amethi district — represented by party vice-president Rahul Gandhi — is yet to send any details about the drive, next big number has come from Aligarh, which has enrolled around 25,000 members. At third so far is Amroha city with around 5,000 members. In all other places, the figure is between 1,500 to 500.

Following this, AICC has decided to extend the membership drive by two months — from December 31 to February 28 next year. However, it seems like a big task for the party to even reach its old figure of 56.24 lakh members in these two months.

“Membership has been a bit slow but it has now been extended till February 28 and we will pick up speed,” said state president Nirmal Khatri.

Worried about losing base, state leaders have planned to use the foundation day function on December 28 at state headquarters to connect with veteran leaders and undertake several activities to retain its base.

On December 28, the party will unveil a seven-feet-long hand painted portrait of former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru outside the main portico of the state headquarters in Lucknow. The party office building is called Nehru Bhawan, inaugurated by Indira Gandhi in 1979.

AICC General Secretary Madhusudan Mistry will also felicitate around 100 veteran leaders from different parts of the state, including former district presidents, presidents of frontal organisations and even former presidents of student unions of different universities.

Special awards will be given to veteran leaders like Mohsina Kidwai, Swaroop Rani Bakshi, Begam Habibullah and Sanjay Sinh. The district units have been asked to undertake similar felicitation programmes.

Meanwhile, the party has even failed to decide over size of its state executive committee in the last six months. Initially, leaders had decided to have around 450 members, but now it plans to have around 300. Sources said that after shifting its deadline several times in the last six months, the fresh committee will now come in the New Year only.

Besides, sources said that not being able to bear the expenses of maintaining zonal offices, vehicles, etc, the party will not have zonal in-charges in its new set-up.