In Proposed Congress Rules, Election For Priyanka Gandhi, Membership Fee Hike

The Congress is giving final touches to certain organisational changes to help party coffers and for leaders to reconnect with workers, ahead of the plenary session in Chhattisgarh's Raipur, sources said.

The Rs 100 membership fee for state Congress committee delegates, will be hiked to Rs 1,000 per year. Of this, Rs 400 will be a developmental fee and Rs 300 for the party magazine Sandesh, sources said.

For senior AICC members, the fee will be put at Rs 3,000 and the development fee will be Rs 1,000 per year for five years. The party hopes with this fee hike, workers will be more committed and help the party during these trying times, when there has been a massive funds crunch.

The Congress is all set to have elections for the CWC, though there is a strong coterie which is keen to avoid it. Top party sources indicated that the leadership is keen on elections, so leaders keep in touch with party workers across the country.

Former presidents, former Prime Ministers, leaders of the party in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha and Chairperson of the Congress Parliamentary Party will automatically be members of the Congress Working Committee, above the recommended strength of 23.

This list however makes Priyanka Gandhi Vadra -- senior leader and the daughter of former party chief Sonia Gandhi -- ineligible to become a member automatically. She will have to be elected to become a CWC member.

Senior Congress leaders, however, indicated that she would get the maximum number of votes if an election takes place.

The party is also increasing percentage of members in keeping with the Udaipur declaration for 50 per cent reservation for SC, ST, OBC minorities and to project a young face below the age of 50.

The AICC is also being expanded with six state delegates having the power to elect one delegate and increasing the number of co-opted members from 15 per cent to 25 per cent.

The major shift for increasing membership fees and conducting elections is a direct outcome of the Bharat Jodo Yatra. Rahul Gandhi has been keen that leaders must reconnect with workers and show more commitment towards building and strengthening the organisation, sources have said.