Congress revamps leadership in Himachal, reshapes Rajasthan’s district cadre

The Congress on Saturday set in motion a sweeping organisational renaissance across two states, pairing generational renewal with structural overhaul in a bid to reawaken its cadre and reclaim lost political rhythm.

In Himachal Pradesh, the long-delayed search for a state leader finally reached its crescendo as Vinay Kumar — a three-term MLA and soft-spoken but steady hand from Renukaji — was anointed president of the Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee, replacing Pratibha Singh. Once the deputy speaker of the Vidhan Sabha, Kumar tendered his resignation earlier in the day, clearing the decks for his ascent.

The appointment ends a year-long drift: since the dissolution of the previous PCC on 6 November 2024, the hill state had been left without a functional organisational core. Singh remained the lone holdover, presiding over a committee that no longer existed.

In Kumar, 47, the party has chosen a Dalit leader with deep roots in the Koli community and a lineage steeped in Congress tradition — his father, Prem Singh, served both as chief parliamentary secretary and a long-time block leader. Having risen from the Renuka valley to the state’s highest organisational office, Kumar’s elevation is being read as a clear message: the Congress wants younger shoulders from reserved communities to carry its future in a state with a significant Dalit population.

While the high command initially toyed with the idea of appointing a seasoned minister to the post, none wished to give up their Cabinet chairs — a reluctance that eventually cleared the path for Kumar, who has previously served as working president of the state unit.

Hundreds of kilometres away, Rajasthan saw its own organisational tremor as the Congress, under its Sangathan Srijan Abhiyan, unveiled 45 new district Congress presidents — a sweeping overhaul of the party’s grassroots structure.

Each appointment, AICC general secretary (organisation) K.C. Venugopal said, followed a meticulous process: observers fanned out across districts, held dialogues with workers, sifted through layers of local dynamics, and returned with extensive reports. These were then debated one by one before the final list was placed before the Congress president.

In an unmistakable push to blend grassroots energy with electoral heft, twelve sitting MLAs have been handed district presidencies — from Ajmer Rural to Sriganganagar and Churu — ensuring that those with people’s mandates anchor the organisational revival. Five former MLAs also make the cut, reinforcing experience where political winds have shifted.

The party has retained incumbents in eight districts, including Sikar — the home turf of PCC chief Govind Singh Dotasara — signalling continuity where it believes stability is strength.

Yet, five districts remain in suspense: Jaipur City, Rajsamand, Pratapgarh, Baran, and Jhalawar. In Baran and Jhalawar, the Anta bypoll forced a pause; in the others, factional tempests have delayed consensus.

The new list reflects an effort at social balancing: eight district chiefs from the General category, nine SC, eight ST, sixteen OBC, and four from Minority communities — an architecture designed to mirror Rajasthan’s complex demographic mosaic.

Panels of six names per district were prepared by out-of-state observers after wide-ranging consultations. The final blueprint emerged after detailed discussions between Venugopal, state in-charge Sukhjinder Randhawa, PCC chief Dotasara, leader of Opposition Tika Ram Jully, and senior leaders — before securing the Congress president’s nod.

With fresh leadership awakening in the hills of Himachal and a rejuvenated grid rising across the plains of Rajasthan, the Congress hopes this orchestration of renewal will breathe new vigour into its organisational heartbeat — a twin gambit to reclaim lost momentum before the next electoral tide arrives.

With PTI/IANS inputs