Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, who has filed his nomination for the post of Congress president, said that the expiry date of the ‘high command’ culture has come closer. Shashi Tharoor made this statement on 30th September 2022 in an interview with ABP News.
Shashi Tharoor said that it is time that the party’s decisions be taken from the bottom and not from the top. Earlier, every decision was from the top, which was not right, he said. On being asked why he is contesting the election, Tharoor said, “Elections in our party are very good for India’s democracy. This is not a fight of enemies, we have worked together. Everyone is fighting elections together in a good atmosphere. India needs a strong opposition.”
He further said, “We have to pull back our voters. It is not that all have become staunch Hindutvawadis and will vote for the Bharatiya Janata Party. Many people are dissatisfied with the BJP, and they want to see whether the Congress is successful or not. I want to show that there should be a change in Congress.”
When asked about what is his opinion about the G-23 group of senior Congress leaders, Shashi Tharoor said, “There was no such group. It is in the minds of the media. Senior Congress leaders had written a letter. All those who were in Delhi had signed that letter. At that time only 23 people were in Delhi, so it is called G-23. Many of them have left Congress. I have always given many suggestions to the Congress high-command and said that there is a need for reform within our party. I had raised questions before the G-23 as well.”
Shashi Tharoor also expressed his views on top leaders leaving the party and the need to consider party workers while making any decisions. He said, “When so many people have left the party, it is time to implement the new model. In this, we should provide strength to the workers on the ground. Let them decide what their future will be. Socializing should increase and the grievances of the workers should be heard. Whenever a big decision is taken by the top leadership, it should be discussed with the party workers first.”
Shashi Tharoor was also asked, in this interview, about how he will revive the party organization if he becomes the president. He told in his answer to this question, “There is a need for de-centralization within the party. It has been a habit in the party for years that everything is fixed in Delhi. The party members come from blocks, districts, and states. The party should be strong there. No ground worker in the party has authority and all decisions are made at the top. It should be left to the states to do their job. Nowadays, the name of district Congress presidents is also decided from Delhi, whereas, its authority should be with the state office-bearer.”
