Maharashtra Congress membership drive gets lukewarm reponse: Party leaders

Mumbai, Dec 21: Maharashtra Congress' ongoing membership drive has so far failed to evoke an enthusiastic response from the state cadre of the party, which is still reeling under the defeats faced in Lok Sabha as well as Assembly polls this year.

The membership drive ends on December 31 following which the organisational elections will be held.

A senior Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) functionary told PTI that the lukewarm response from the cadre was due to the past experience where despite getting sizeable number of members, the genuine grassroot workers were overlooked for appointments as district unit chief or office- bearers.

"They complain no matter how hard they work, they will not be rewarded. Last time, people close to the local MP and leaders were made district unit chiefs or block presidents, who had no role in the membership drive," another functionary complained.

So far, 90,000 membership books have been taken by workers from the party office. One book is for 25 members. The target is minimum 25 members in each booth, party office-bearers said.

"If all the books are utilised, it would be 22.50 lakh members. In Mumbai, 31,000 membership books have been distributed. If all the books are utilised, it would mean enrolment of 7.5 lakh members," they said.

In one block or ward, 50 per cent of the booths need to be completed for conduct of organisational elections, party officials said.

Mumbai Congress General Secretary Dharmesh Vyas said the submission of the membership books will start after December 31.

"Collection has been normal. Let's see the exact numbers after submissions, after which we will come to know if the response was lukewarm," Vyas said.

PTI