Congress to use Web, Smart-Phone Application for Enrolment

New Delhi, Feb 6 (IANS) Keen to boost its membership at a politically difficult time for the party, the Congress has decided to come up with web-based "membership enrolment channel" as well as launching a smart phone-based application.

At a meeting of party's central election authority (CEA) here, party leaders discussed membership drive and changes that the party needs to make in its process of organisational elections.

Party vice president Rahul Gandhi, who was among leaders present at the meeting, is learnt to have said that organisational elections should not be delayed.

The party had extended membership drive till Feb 28 from its original deadline of Dec 31 and had also rescheduled its organisational elections.

A release issued after the meeting said that Rahul Gandhi asked all Congress office bearers to work actively to boost party's membership by enrolling "genuine members".

He desired that every member's voice was heard in the party. Party secretaries, who attended the meeting, were told to come out with plans that ensure "representation to every voice".

Party president Sonia Gandhi also laid stress on genuine membership.

"Congress president and vice president have been focusing their attention for ensuring genuine membership, fair and transparent election process. Their hope is that the ongoing exercise should build strong bondage among all the workers and strengthen the party," the release said.

"Organisational elections are an opportunity for the party to reconstitute it's committees at all levels, by ensuring representation to all voices," it added

Apart from the Gandhis, CEA chairman Mullapalli Ramachandran, party treasurer Motilal Vora, political secretary to Congress president Ahmed Patel, general secretaries, secretaries and heads of frontal organisations were present.

The release also said that the CEA identified improvements "that need to be made to the membership process" and these will be adopted after discussion at the session of All India Congress Committee.

The proposed improvements include opening membership by introducing multiple channels including web-based applications, and continuous process of membership, common membership of party's various wings, enhancing level of representation of weaker sections, reverting to the concept of active members and holding organisational elections every three years instead of the present five.

With the party "seriously considering" to have system of active members, the release urged party workers to enroll 25 members to be able to take incentives which will be announced later.

Party secretaries have been urged to tour states extensively and enroll maximum people into the party.

Congress efforts to increase its membership and change its process of elections are being seen as part of structural changes it is making for its revamp. The party suffered a debacle in the Lok Sabha election and has since suffered defeat in all state elections, finishing third or fourth.