SONIA REVAMPS TWO PARTY COMMITTEES

C O N F I D E N T I A L NEW DELHI 003912

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/26/2015
TAGS: PGOV PINR IN
SUBJECT: SONIA REVAMPS TWO PARTY COMMITTEES


Classified By: POLCOUNS Geoffrey R. Pyatt for Reasons 1.4 (B, D)


1. (U) In the run-up to her re-election as Party President
on May 27, Sonia Gandhi on May 25 revamped two important
Congress party committees, the Parliamentary Affairs
Committee (PAC) and the Media Committee (MC). Defunct for
almost 20 years, Sonia plans to make the PAC into an active
body and place herself in charge with a view to exercising
more oversight regarding the party's legislative role. When
Parliament is in session, the PAC will meet twice a week to
analyze parliamentary proceedings and provide party guidance
to MP's on important issues.


2. (U) The Media Committee will determine how best to
project the party's point of view on strategic issues. It
will also help organize Congress rallies and meetings, decide
which ones Mrs. Gandhi will address, and review drafts of her
speeches and public statements. Gandhi confidant Ambika Soni
will continue to head the MC, which has been reduced from 15
members to 6.

Comment
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3. (C) Congress willingness to reorganize and revive these
key committees indicates growing self-confidence, and likely
foreshadows a more aggressive posture in the next
parliamentary session. These moves also suggest that Mrs.
Gandhi is likely to take more substantial steps after her
re-election, including a widely expected Cabinet shuffle in
late June or early July. The members of both committees are
long-time Sonia loyalists. The only exception is Rajiv
Shukla, a relative newcomer who will join the MC, and is
quickly moving up the party ranks. A former journalist and
ex-BJP member, Shukla joined Congress in 2001 and is close to
Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi. Some speculate that he could
become a Junior Minister in the upcoming Cabinet shuffle.
BLAKE