Age cap, RS term limit on Congress table, Chintan Shivir starts

The Congress top brass is actively considering a radical idea to bring new faces into leadership levels. Sources said the party is seriously thinking of imposing an age-ceiling for leaders to hold positions in the organisation at all levels and for contesting elections besides putting in place a term-limit for Rajya Sabha members. The idea is part of the party’s attempt to give it a “young look.”

Two senior leaders, who are playing a key role in deliberations in the run-up to the Congress Chintan Shivir beginning Friday in Udaipur, told The Indian Express that the party is “seriously thinking” about the two ideas though it is not yet clear “what shape these proposals will take”.

“I can tell you there is certainly a thinking in this direction… We are seriously thinking, but I cannot say now how it will come up,” one leader said.

It remains to be seen whether the ideas will come up for discussion at the Chintan Shivir which is being held to deliberate and find a roadmap for the party’s electoral revival. As many as 430 Congress leaders have assembled for the Shivir, the first such brainstorming session since the party’s electoral slide began in 2014. Addressing a meeting of the Congress Working Committee earlier this week, party president Sonia Gandhi said she was “determined” to ensure that the Shivir “heralds a restructured organisation to meet the many ideological, electoral and managerial challenges” that the party confronts.

Sources said a final shape on the two proposals is yet to emerge. For instance, what should be the age ceiling: 70 or 75? And whether to limit the terms of Rajya Sabha to 2 or 3? Another idea is to ensure that no new member above a certain age is inducted into any of the organisational bodies.

“Whenever the organisational revamp happens, be it in the CWC or the central election committee, care will be taken to ensure that a certain percentage of young leaders find a place. The same will apply to PCCs (state units) and district committees,” the leader said.

Leaders above the age of 70 and 75 are holding positions at several levels in the party. Sources said it is unlikely that they will be asked to step down. “There could be a gradual phase-out,” one leader said.