Fooling ourselves: Karti Chidambaram calls for halting ‘ghost’ IYC membership drive

The Indian Youth Congress (IYC)’s ambitious membership drive has come under scathing criticism from its own Congress MP from Sivaganga, Karti Chidambaram.

Karti, son of former Union Minister P Chidambaram, took to X on Sunday and came down heavily at the party's youth wing over its ‘lethargic and sluggish’ drive to induct new members. He also called for putting an end to the campaign, owing to poor and lacklustre response.

“These phantom/ghost Indian Youth Congress membership drives must stop. We are only fooling ourselves,” wrote Karti in a bitterly critical remark.

Karti’s ‘ghost’ drive jibe at the IYC membership is set to create a fresh flutter in party circles as the latter is already grappling with multiple incidents of dissent and internal rumblings.

The recent Assembly elections in Haryana and Maharashtra brought to the fore the ‘difference and divide’ within the state units and the high command after the party met crushing defeat in both states.

While the high command’s instructions on joining forces with allies were ignored in Haryana, the top brass’ suggestions were not heeded in Maharashtra.

Karti’s reproof of the IYC membership drive could also be seen in this light. Though it is understood to have the blessings of top Congress leadership, the outright condemnation by the former minister’s son and party son is expected to ruffle fresh feathers in top leadership.

Notably, the IYC started its membership drive in multiple states/UTs this year.

In July, Delhi Congress chief Devender Yadav launched a membership drive of Delhi Pradesh Youth Congress (DPYC) ahead of the Assembly polls 2025 and said that its mission was to embrace Rahul Gandhi’s vision of ‘Neta Banao-Neta Chuno’.

In Karnataka, Congress state president and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar announced IYC’s state unit membership drive and internal elections in August and September this year, thus paving the way for new and emergent leaders.

Meghalaya Congress also announced its plans to revitalise its youth wing by conducting IYC organisational elections across the state in November 2024.

Notably, the IYC, the youth wing of the Indian National Congress (INC), with over two crore members, describes itself as the largest democratic youth organisation in the world.