Rahul Gandhi Meets Congress Secretaries Amid Reshuffle Buzz, Has a Clear Message: ‘Spend at Least 15 Days…’

Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi met Congress secretaries on Tuesday as the party prepares for another possible round of organisational changes, with the discussions focusing on their performance, responsibilities and presence on the ground.

The interaction comes amid growing buzz over a wider Congress organisational reshuffle, which could redefine the responsibilities of dozens of mid-level leaders working under the party’s general secretaries.

Congress general secretary KC Venugopal and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were also present during the discussions.

Rahul Gandhi’s message: Spend more time in states

One of the clearest messages from the meeting concerned the amount of time party functionaries spend in the states assigned to them.

According to leaders familiar with the discussions, Rahul Gandhi asked secretaries to spend at least 15 days in their respective states, focusing on travelling, interacting with party workers and meeting people rather than conducting most of their political work from Delhi.

Rahul and Priyanka also questioned leaders about their visits to states and the organisational work they had undertaken.

The interaction was seen by some participants as an effort to assess both performance and commitment before further changes are made within the party structure.

Reshuffle could put 56 secretaries in focus

The meeting assumes significance because the Congress has already made several changes involving its senior organisational leadership.

The next phase could reportedly focus on around 56 party secretaries who work under general secretaries and state in-charges.

Rahul had also interacted with potential candidates last month as the party explored appointments of new secretaries as part of its broader organisational restructuring.

Several leaders reportedly came away from Tuesday’s discussions with the impression that the leadership wants to establish more clearly defined roles for secretaries.

“There was an indication that Rahul, Priyanka and Venugopal are keen to define roles and responsibilities,” one secretary involved with a north Indian state said, according to people familiar with the meeting.

Congress recently changed key state responsibilities

The discussions follow a series of changes announced by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge.

Former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel was moved from Punjab to Assam, while Randeep Singh Surjewala, who handles Karnataka, was given the additional responsibility of Gujarat.

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The party also handed responsibility for Punjab to former Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot as part of the changes.

With important electoral contests ahead, the reshuffle is being closely watched for clues about how the Congress plans to strengthen its state-level organisation.

Some secretaries raise concerns over limited roles

The meeting was not limited to performance reviews. Some secretaries reportedly used the opportunity to raise concerns about their place in the party’s decision-making structure.

Several leaders argued that their responsibilities need to be better defined, particularly in poll-bound states.

Some also pointed towards their limited involvement during the party’s Sangathan Srijan organisational exercise. According to one leader, district committees were largely formed through state observers and in-charges, leaving secretaries with little direct involvement.

One secretary described the current Congress structure as heavily “in-charge-centric”, arguing that secretaries are not always included in feedback and decision-making processes.

Congress leader rejects claims of limited opportunities

Not everyone within the party agrees with those concerns.

A Congress leader considered close to Rahul Gandhi described the interaction as a “regular affair” intended to strengthen the organisation rather than simply prepare the ground for a reshuffle.

The leader also rejected claims that secretaries receive insufficient opportunities, arguing that greater responsibility depends on a leader’s experience and ability.

According to him, the Congress leadership closely monitors organisational performance, including how much time individual office-bearers spend in their assigned states and the areas they cover.

Ground presence appears to be the priority

Whatever shape the next reshuffle eventually takes, Tuesday’s meeting offered a clear indication of what the Congress leadership expects from its organisational team more time in the states and greater engagement at the grassroots.

For Rahul Gandhi, the message appears to be that organisational responsibility cannot remain centred in Delhi.

With another round of appointments and changes potentially approaching, the performance of Congress secretaries on the ground could now play an important role in deciding who stays, who moves and who receives a bigger responsibility next.