Nagpur: As Congress prepares ground for appointing a new president for the Nagpur city unit, trade union leader Rajesh Nimbalkar urged party observers to widen the process beyond office-bearers and include ordinary citizens, and grass roots functionaries.Observers are set to begin one-to-one interactions with party functionaries in Nagpur this week itself as part of the selection exercise. Nimbalkar has appealed to the party seeking a broader and more inclusive consultation process.Nimbalkar, national coordinator of Unorganised Workers’ Congress, said, “Congress is a people’s movement and it can become stronger only through the people. Limiting discussions to leaders and office-bearers risks overlooking the sentiment at the grass roots level.”He said the selection process should involve common citizens, workers, traders, youth and party activists directly connected with the organisation at the local level. “Such engagement would help identify leadership that reflects public expectations in a city like Nagpur. Congress has historically evolved as a mass movement shaped by public participation. During freedom struggle, citizens contributed through sacrifices, imprisonment and sustained mobilisation, forming foundation of the organisation. Public support played a role in bringing party back to power after Emergency,” said Nimbalkar.
