Congress revamps leadership with Rahul Gandhi’s imprint

In a significant organizational shake-up, the Congress party has revamped its leadership structure, a move reflecting the influence of senior leader Rahul Gandhi.

The restructuring follows the party’s third consecutive Assembly election defeat since the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

As part of the revamp, the party appointed new general secretaries for two states and in-charges for nine, removing six leaders from these positions.

Key appointments and changes

Former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has been brought into the AICC secretariat as the new Punjab General Secretary, replacing Devender Yadav, who now focuses on his role as Delhi Congress chief.

Rajya Sabha MP Syed Naseer Hussain has been appointed General Secretary in charge of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, replacing Bharatsinh Solanki.

The new state in-charges include:

Rajya Sabha MP Rajani Patil – Himachal Pradesh & Chandigarh

B K Hariprasad – Haryana

Harish Chaudhary – Madhya Pradesh

Girish Chodankar – Tamil Nadu & Puducherry

Ajay Kumar Lallu – Odisha

K Raju – Jharkhand

Meenakshi Natarajan – Telangana

Saptagiri Sankar Ulaka – Manipur, Tripura, Sikkim & Nagaland

Krishna Allavaru – Bihar

Most of these leaders have previously held key organizational roles, with many being considered close to either Rahul Gandhi or Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. Baghel, for example, shares a strong working relationship with Priyanka. However, Hussain’s appointment stands out as he is seen as an ally of Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, having managed Kharge’s office in the past.

Significance of the shake-up

The restructuring also saw a demotion for some senior leaders, including Hariprasad, who has previously served as a general secretary in charge of multiple states. Girish Chodankar, who was earlier in charge of northeastern states, has now been shifted to Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.

Fresh faces in organizational roles:

Ajay Kumar Lallu, the former Uttar Pradesh Congress chief, has been given charge of Odisha.

K Raju, a former bureaucrat and national coordinator for SC, ST, OBC, and minority departments, will oversee Jharkhand.

Krishna Allavaru, currently handling the Youth Congress, has been given charge of Bihar, a crucial state heading into elections this year.

Who’s Out?

Six key leaders have been removed from their positions, including:

Dipak Babaria (Haryana)

Bharatsinh Solanki (Jammu & Kashmir)

Devender Yadav (Punjab)

Mohan Prakash (Bihar)

Rajeev Shukla (Himachal Pradesh & Chandigarh)

Ajoy Kumar (Odisha, Tamil Nadu & Puducherry)

The bigger picture

This reshuffle aligns with the Congress Working Committee’s resolution at its December 26 meeting in Belagavi, Karnataka, where the party declared 2025 as the "year of organizational strengthening."

With recent electoral setbacks in Maharashtra, Haryana, and Delhi, the Congress aims to rebuild its leadership at the grassroots level ahead of upcoming elections. The restructuring signals a fresh push under Rahul Gandhi’s leadership as the party seeks to regain political momentum.