The three-day Chintan Shivir (brainstorming session) of the Congress ended in Udaipur on Sunday. About 400 top leaders of the party decided to chart a new trajectory for the party by bringing changes in the party’s outlook towards the economy, politics, organisation, social issues, youth and agriculture. The party said in a declaration that it time to change the 30-year-old neoliberal economic policy of the country.

The declaration said, keeping in view of the global and domestic scenario, the economic policy must be changed. “The basis of this new economic policy must be the generation of jobs. Jobless growth should have no place in India. We oppose the policies of the Narendra Modi government that do not create any jobs,” the declaration said the new economic policy must also address issues such as unemployment, poverty, starvation and malnutrition.

Another declaration on agriculture, farmers and agriculture workers demanded that the MS Swaminathan Committee report on calculating the MSP must be implemented. The party also urged the Centre to increase the wages under MGNREGA.

New departments

The Shivir also declared that three new departments on public insight, election management, and national training will be set up at the AICC. The party also decided that the policy of “one family, one ticket” would be implemented with a general exception if either of the family members worked in the party organisation for at least five years. No person will be allowed to hold a party position for more than five years. Those who are under 50 will have 50 per cent representation at all levels of the party’s organisation. The Congress president will also set up an advisory group from among Congress Working Committee (CWC) members to deliberate on political challenges.

Earlier, addressing the Shivir, senior leader Rahul Gandhi said the party lost its connect with the people. The Shivir also decided to hold an all India rally to regain connection with the people. “I have said that we must have a mass contact programme, where all of us, regardless of our age, our position, go to the people of India and spend, not one day, not two days, but, months with the people of India. Understand what the people of India want and what the people of India are saying; what the farmers want, what the labourers want,” Gandhi said.

In her concluding remarks, Congress president Sonia Gandhi said the party will launch a national Kanyakumari to Kashmir Bharat Jodo Yatra beginning on Gandhi Jayanti this year. “All of us will participate in it. The Yatra is to strengthen the bonds of social harmony that are under stress, to preserve the foundational values of our Constitution that are under assault and to highlight the day-to-day concerns of crores of our people,” she said.

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