Hindi speaking North Indian ex-CM likely to be Congress working president

The Congress party is mulling structural changes in its leadership with reports even hinting that a Hindi speaking north Indian former Chief Minister is being considered for the post of party working President to lessen the burden on Sonia Gandhi.

Names of three former Chief Ministers in the party — Digvijaya Singh, the former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister; Bhupinder Singh Hooda, the former Haryana Chief Minister and Kamal Nath, who was the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh recently have figured in media reports as probables being considered for the post.

According to sources, Kamal Nath is likely to be appointed as a working president given his vast experience and the good relations he shares with leaders across the spectrum in Opposition space and many leaders in the G-23 camp of Congress, which had sought a leadership change in the party.

Kamal Nath has been meeting Sonia Gandhi more frequently since the demise of veteran Ahmed Patel and had been instrumental in organising a meeting between the G-23 and Sonia Gandhi last December.

Speculations around Nath’s elevation began last month after he met Sonia just two days after poll strategist Prashant Kishor had a nearly two-hour-long meeting with the Gandhi family as the party is eyeing to tone up its organisation ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

Though sources close to him say that he is not keen to leave Bhopal and has forwarded many suggestions before the Gandhis. Sources also said that he wants no interference from the Secretariat of Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra but only the Gandhis themselves.

Observers say that Kamal Nath has been part of the troika of Late Ahmed Patel and Murli Deora. The three were seen as smooth political players and those who knew which string to be pulled when to set right the political equations. The other Chief Ministers like Hooda, late YSR Reddy and Ashok Gehlot, late Vilas Rao Deshmukh were part of the second rung during 2000 to 2014 when Sonia Gandhi was at the helm.

But, the Congress insiders feel it is too early to say anything as Sonia Gandhi wants to settle the in house problems of states before making any such decision. She wants states like Rajasthan to be settled and preparation in elections going in states be firmed up. She is trying to pacify many other leaders, including Hooda. In Delhi, she has appointed MLAs, who are supporting Hooda as observers for the MCD polls.