In the latest Congress rejig, expected to be followed by a Cabinet reshuffle on Monday, portfolio allocation between the old guard and the new lead player has not been disturbed. The ageing Motilal Vora continues to be the treasurer and party vice-president Rahul Gandhi will stay in-charge of the frontal organisations.
Ghulam Nabi Azad has relinquished the rather difficult charge of Andhra Pradesh (with the messed up Telangana issue) in favour of another veteran, Digvijaya Singh. Singh will also have the charge of Karnataka and Goa. Azad’s other charge, Tamil Nadu, has been given to general secretary Mukul Wasnik. Wasnik will also look after Kerala affairs for the Congress.
Oscar Fernandes has been relegated to the background as special invitee to the Congress Working Committee. The charge of Central Election Committee has been taken away from him and given to Mistry . Just like Madhusudan Mistry, many of the 42 general secretaries appointed on Sunday are close to Rahul Gandhi. But the kind of generational shift that one had expected did not happen. It’s more of a slow makeover, a little Maken here and a Mistry there.