Kharge’s Meet-&-Greet With Workers at the Congress HQ Shouldn’t be a Big Deal. But Here’s Why It Is

Visits by Rahul Gandhi or ticket distribution for state elections are the only times large crowds throng the Congress headquarters in New Delhi. But on Thursday, the star attraction for a gathering of that size was party president Mallikarjun Kharge who popped in for an impromptu meet-and-greet with party workers.

This reporter was present at the Congress headquarters where around 150 workers were waiting to meet Kharge. Their enthusiasm at the visit of the party president may seem like an over-reaction, but juxtapose it with the fact that Sonia Gandhi rarely visited her office over the years, and even then to only meet the top brass, and one can understand their excitement at the prospect of a little face-time with the party chief.

The only time Sonia Gandhi mingled with party workers was on special occasions like the foundation day of the party. Her son and successor Rahul Gandhi did meet workers, but the practice was short-lived.

On Thursday, Kharge met around 100 workers, spending up to five minutes with each of them.

Commando Pradeep, a worker from UP, told News18: “It’s a good practice as we get to meet the president. No one meets us and leaders decide on their own. We are the ones who have to fight on the ground. So we are very happy.”

There are several reasons why Kharge restarted the practice of meeting party workers. One, the party needs to enthuse its cadre ahead of Lok Sabha elections 2024; a bitter and angry worker base won’t result in victories. The Congress has often been accused of being an ‘ivory tower’ party, where the top leadership is out of sync with the masses and cadre. Unlike the BJP, where PM Narendra Modi often addresses the karyakartas, the Congress often gives this a skip. Kharge wants this to be rectified.

Second, the party is looking to groom workers under 50 years and many in the crowd waiting to meet Kharge were young workers. First-time voters is a segment the Congress is hoping to crack in 2024.

At the meeting, state workers were also asked to give feedback on their state Congress chiefs ahead of an organizational reshuffle. In cases of states like Punjab and Delhi, workers were about their thoughts on an alliance with the AAP.

Some of the workers told News18 that they wouldn’t be opposed to an alliance with AAP “for the sake of 2024 elections.” “This will not finish the Congress. No one can finish us as long as we work together,” said a worker.

The last few leaders to walk through the sprawling lawns of the Congress headquarters and interacting with workers were Digvijaya Singh and Ghulam Nabi Azad. A rooted veteran leader like Kharge wants to relive this and leave his mark as an accessible Congress president.