Congress’s nationwide push for ‘Sangathan Srijan’—meant to revitalize its grassroots machinery—is courting controversy in Bihar, where district leadership aspirants must cough up Rs 75,000 in membership fees before their names even enter the hat. The formula? Recruit 1,500 members at Rs 50 apiece, straight to party coffers.
Lower rungs aren’t spared: block presidents need Rs 10,000 from 200 recruits, state vice presidents mirror district demands at 1,500 members, and general secretaries target 1,000. Yet only one victor emerges per post, leaving losers with empty wallets and bruised ambitions.
In a state where Congress has been wilderness-bound for decades, recent poll humiliations have left the cadre demotivated and the structure hollowed out. Whispers from within reveal mounting unhappiness, with the high command issuing gag orders against public criticism.
Proponents might argue it weeds out dilettantes, but skeptics counter that Rs 50 fees—tenfold the regular Rs 5 membership—exclude the poor and reward moneyed influencers. ‘This isn’t organizational growth; it’s a fundraising gimmick,’ fumed an insider. With Bihar’s tough terrain demanding unity, these divisive tactics threaten to stall Congress’s comeback, spotlighting a deeper malaise in adapting to local realities.