Rahul Gandhi

Bhopal, Oct. 26: Rahul Gandhi’s push for inner-party democracy and transparency is turning out to be less than picture-perfect. For one thing, it appears to be shrinking the Congress’s base.

Consider the ongoing membership drive in the run-up to the party’s organisational polls, due early next year. Between 2005 and 2008, the Madhya Pradesh Congress had over 22 lakh members; now it’s struggling to show half that number.

This doesn’t mean the BJP’s popularity is up in the heartland, state Congress leaders say. The reason for the decline is Rahul’s insistence that all members should attach their photographs to the membership form.

The problem is, these state leaders say, that many “genuine” party members are farm workers, day labourers or burqa-clad Muslim women, and they either lack the time or the inclination to get themselves clicked.

Congress insiders, though, tell a different story. They say the insistence on photographs has merely eliminated the possibility of showing “bogus” members.

“The Congress membership form now asks for the member’s photo, thumb impression, residential address and two referees. So, the past practice of just copying names and addresses from the electoral rolls is no longer possible. It’s causing a lot of distress to the power brokers,” an All India Congress Committee (AICC) official said.

Old-timers recalled how the organisational polls had turned into a farce during the eras of Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, P.V. Narasimha Rao and Sitaram Kesri. At the 1985 plenary session in Mumbai, Rajiv had asked the party to weed out the “power brokers” but Bofors and other political problems then shifted his focus.

1n 1992, Rao presided over a bitterly fought Congress Working Committee election at Tirupati but hours later, he used his extraordinary powers as party president to nominate all the members.

Nor has the party seen too many reforms during Sonia Gandhi’s 10 years at the helm. As a result, regional satraps and AICC officials continue to spew highly inflated membership figures.

In Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, there have been instances of Congress Assembly poll candidates receiving fewer votes than the supposed number of party members in their constituencies.

Rahul, however, appears keen on reforming the party from within. He insists on elections at all levels in the Youth Congress and the National Students Union of India, and has successfully organised these polls in states such as Punjab and Uttarakhand.

Sceptics, though, say pushing through these reforms in the main Congress organisation will be a daunting task.

To start with, the party will have to reconcile itself to a reduced strength because of the photo clause. Some in the Congress feel this will be an irony of sorts at a time the party’s fortunes and vote percentages are rising.

The Congress membership form for the 2009-2012 period calls for a self-declaration, with the member undertaking to wear certified khadi, shun alcohol and disproportionate assets, and work for socialist, secular and democratic goals.

The Rs 3 membership —that’s what the fee is for the entire three-year tenure — also expects the party faithful not to be part of any communal outfit and not to violate the land ceiling act.