How strong is the Kisan Cell in Congress, what is the strategy behind making Bajrang Punia the co-chairman?

Amidst the assembly elections in Haryana, the Congress Kisan Cell is in the headlines. The reason is the entry of wrestler Bajrang Punia. Just 6 hours after entering politics, wrestler Punia was appointed co-chairman or working president of the Kisan Cell by the Congress. The working president is the second highest post in the 114-year-old Congress Kisan Cell.

A political party maintains many frontal organizations within itself. The main work of the organization is to raise the issues of the people of its area and connect them with the ideology of the party. The biggest reason for forming the organization is that the people of the main organization are mostly busy with elections, due to which they are unable to get much feedback related to the organization.

The frontal organization also works to overcome this shortcoming. Kisan Cell is also a similar frontal organization in Congress. Along with raising issues related to farmers, it also provides suggestions to the party regarding this.

Even before independence, in the year 1910, the Kisan Cell was established within the Congress. Syed Abdul Aziz played a major role in its establishment. This organization worked to connect the farmers with the ideology of the Congress. Till 1936, the organization was very popular among the farmers, but as soon as Sahajanand Saraswati formed the All India Kisan Sabha, the popularity of this organization started fading.

Even after independence, the Kisan Cell continued to function like other frontal organizations. According to Azad Malik, spokesperson of the Kisan Congress, at that time, after INTUC, the Kisan Cell was the strongest frontal organization within the Congress. However, being in power affected its expansion.

At present, this cell has its organization and executive in every state and district. Former Leader of Opposition in Punjab Assembly Sukhpal Singh Khaira is its chairman.

These leaders of Kisan Cell reached big positions

Many leaders who started their careers from Kisan Cell reached big positions at the level of Congress and government. Among them, Sardar Hukum Singh, Balram Jakhar, Rajesh Pilot, and Nanak Patole are prominent.

After independence, Hukam Singh was given the command of the Kisan Congress and at that time he played a big role in its expansion in the areas of Rajasthan and United Punjab. Hukam Singh later reached big positions in Congress.

In 1962, Sardar Hukum Singh was made the Speaker of the Lok Sabha. In 1967, he also became the Governor of Rajasthan. A similar promotion was made to Balram Jakhar, who was the president of the Kisan Congress.

Jakhar, who started his political career in the Kisan Cell of Congress, became the Speaker of Lok Sabha, Governor, and Union Minister. Former Union Minister Rajesh Pilot also joined the Kisan Congress in the beginning. He was also the president of this cell.

After leaving Kisan Congress, Pilot became a big leader. Currently, his son Sachin Pilot is also very popular in North India. Former Assembly Speaker and Maharashtra Congress President Nana Patole was also the president of the Kisan Cell at one time.

Why was Bajrang Punia made co-chairman?

1. Bajrang Punia should have been given a big post immediately. If he was given a big post in the main organization, it could have sent a wrong message. Questions would have been raised within the party itself, so he has been first sent to the farmers' organization of Congress. Congress has done this kind of experiment before as well. When Nana Patole joined Congress in 2018, he was first sent to this cell. Later he was made the head of the Maharashtra unit.

2. According to Kisan Congress spokesperson Azad Malik, Bajrang Poonia is a well-known face. The first benefit the party will get from his arrival is that the farmers will listen to him. We have announced 5 guarantees for the farmers. If Poonia goes among the farmers with this, the atmosphere will be created in favor of the Congress.

3. According to Congress sources, the current chairman of the Congress cell (Sukhpal Khaira) is focusing more on Punjab politics than national politics. Due to these reasons, Congress was not able to strongly raise the voice of farmers in other parts. The party wants to overcome this crisis by bringing Bajrang to this cell.

4. Bajrang comes from Haryana and the politics here revolves around farmers. Bajrang has been a part of the farmers' movement earlier as well. Recently Vinesh Phogat was also seen on the farmers' stage. In such a situation, by giving him the responsibility of this cell, Congress has tried to woo the farmers of Haryana. How strong is the farmers' cell in Congress, what is the strategy behind making Bajrang Poonia the co-chairman?