Tharoor backs Digvijaya Singh’s call for Congress reset, flags urgent need to rebuild party’s organisational spine.

Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has publicly endorsed veteran party colleague Digvijaya Singh on the urgent need to strengthen the organisational structure of the Indian National Congress, underlining that any meaningful electoral revival will remain elusive without a strong, energised cadre on the ground.

The convergence of views between the two senior leaders has injected fresh momentum into the ongoing internal debate within the Congress, which is currently engaged in deep introspection following mixed electoral outcomes and repeated setbacks against rivals with far stronger grassroots penetration.

Reflecting on recent electoral reverses and internal reviews, Digvijaya Singh argued that the Congress’s principal problem is neither a lack of ideology nor absence of leadership, but the gradual erosion of its organisational machinery.

He pointed out that booth-level, block-level,l and district-level structures — once the party’s backbone — have weakened over the years, leading to a growing disconnect between the leadership and grassroots workers.

According to Singh, this organisational decay has blunted the party’s capacity to mobilise voters, respond swiftly to local issues, and counter opponents operating through disciplined, cadre-driven systems.

Unless the Congress urgently rebuilds its grassroots network, empowers local leadership and ensures sustained engagement with workers, he warned, the party would continue to struggle against rivals such as the Bharatiya Janata Party, which benefits from a highly structured and motivated organisation.

Singh further stressed the need to restore trust with party workers, improve internal communication, and decentralise decision-making.

These measures, he said, are essential if the Congress is to reclaim political relevance in states where it has steadily lost ground.

Endorsing this diagnosis, Tharoor described the emphasis on organisational strengthening as both timely and unavoidable.

He observed that elections are not won solely through high-profile campaigns, social media narrative,s or charismatic leaders, but through sustained, year-round work by committed workers who remain visible and active within local communities.

Echoing Singh’s arguments, Tharoor underlined that the Congress must invest far more seriously in training, motivating, ng and retaining its cadre.

He highlighted the importance of clearly defined roles, internal accountability,ity and recognition for grassroots workers, noting that morale at the lower rungs of the organisation often determines whether a political message ultimately translates into votes.

Without a motivated and empowered organisation, Tharoor cautioned, even the most compelling political narrative risks remaining confined to speeches and television studios, failing to resonate on the ground.

Both leaders were careful to frame the discussion as constructive rather than confrontational.

Tharoor emphasised that internal debate and criticism are signs of organisational health, provided they are aimed at strengthening the party rather than deepening factional divides.

He suggested that views such as Singh’s should be seen as genuine attempts to course-correct and revive the Congress, not as challenges to its leadership.

The remarks have evoked mixed reactions within the party.

While several leaders privately concede that organisational decay has been a long-standing issue — especially in states where the Congress once enjoyed a formidable grassroots presence — others caution that organisational reforms must go hand in hand with clear political messaging and leadership cohesion to avoid confusion on the ground.

The comments come at a time when the Congress is reassessing its strategy amid a growing internal consensus that revamping organisational structures — from booth committees to state units — is essential to mount an effective challenge to the BJP’s disciplined and resource-rich machinery.

By publicly aligning himself with Digvijaya Singh’s assessment, Tharoor has signalled that sections of the Congress’s senior leadership are broadly on the same page about the nature of the party’s problems, even if opinions may differ on the pace and method of reform.

The convergence underscores a shared belief that the Congress’s revival will depend less on rhetoric and more on rebuilding its organisational backbone.

The real test, however, lies ahead. Party insiders admit that unless these assessments translate into swift and sincere action, repeated calls for organisational strengthening may remain merely rhetorical.

Tharoor’s backing of Singh’s stance has added weight to the argument — and increased pressure on the party leadership to make organisational rebuilding a central pillar of its revival strategy.

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