New AICC Headquarters
Congress plans Nov 19 shift to Indira Bhawan
The Indian National Congress will have a new address in the national capital. The party plans to shift its national headquarters from 24, Akbar Road, which was originally the office of Congress(I) formed by Indira Gandhi in 1978, to a newly-constructed building on Deendayal Upadhyaya Marg, abutting the Lutyens Bungalow Zone.
The party has named the new building after former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Sources said Congress plans to shift to Indira Bhawan on the late Prime Minister’s birth anniversary, November 19 this year. As Deen Dayal Upadhyaya is a BJP icon, the Congress has built the headquarters building with its back towards DDU Marg.
The six-story building faces Kotla Road and has its address as 9A, Kotla Road. The Supreme Court had ordered the political parties to shift their offices out of the Lutyens Bungalow Zone to declutter the seat of power. The BJP is already operating out of its new HQ on DDU Marg. The construction of Congress HQ building was stalled due to a paucity of funds.
Sources said the Congress may retain 24, Akbar Road, just like the BJP still has its old office bungalow 11, Ashok Road. They said that the shifting of the office will take place in a phased manner. In the first phase, the frontal organisations, namely the Mahila Congress, Youth Congress and the NSUI, and the party’s departments and cells are likely to shift to the new premises.
Shahid Faridi
The writer is Resident Editor
TNIE, New Delhi.
Follow him on X @Shahid_Faridi_
Haryana Polls
BJP, Congress leaders lobby for tickets for kin
The leadership of the two leading parties of Haryana — Congress and BJP — is grappling with the issue of Parivarwad. A large number of senior leaders from the two parties are demanding tickets for their kin. According to sources, more than a dozen leaders belonging to these parties are putting pressure on their leadership and are refusing to relent. Among the prominent BJP leaders who are demanding tickets for their relatives for next month’s state assembly elections are Union ministers Rao Inderjit Singh and Krishan Pal Gurjar, Members of Parliament Dharambir Singh, Kiran Chaudhry and Naveen Jindal.
Former MPs Kuldeep Bishnoi, Ramesh Kaushik, Sukhbir Singh Jaunapuria are also demanding tickets for their kin. Former state minister Kartar Singh Bhadana is also lobbying for a ticket for his son. Similar demands are being made by Congress leaders. According to sources, the party’s sitting MPs, Randeep Singh Surjewala and Jai Prakash and former Union minister Birender Singh are demanding tickets for their sons.
The other prominent leaders who are seeking accommodation of their kin include Rao Dan Singh, who had unsuccessfully contested the recent Lok Sabha election from Bhiwani-Mahendragarh, Mahendra Pratap Singh, who lost the 2024 Lok Sabha election from Faridabad, and former assembly Speaker Kuldeep Sharma. All these leaders wield considerable influence in their respective areas. Sources said the two parties are likely to accommodate the request of most of these leaders to avoid a rebellion in the ranks in this crucial election.