Sri Vijaya Puram, Aug. 7: The organisational restructuring exercise of the Indian National Congress in South Andaman is progressing steadily and is expected to be completed within the next month, according to Mr. Nivedith Alva, Secretary, All India Congress Committee (AICC), In-charge Tamil Nadu, and SSA Observer for South Andaman District Congress Committee (DCC).
Talking exclusively to Andaman Sheekha Daily today, Mr. Alva said he had been entrusted by the AICC to oversee the ongoing Sangathan Srijan Abhiyan (Organisation Building Campaign) in South Andaman as part of a nationwide initiative aimed at strengthening the party’s grassroots structure.
He explained that during a AICC National Session held last year, Congress President Mr. Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition Mr. Rahul Gandhi declared 2026 as the “Year of Organisation”, with a special emphasis on rebuilding and strengthening the party from the district level upwards.
Mr. Alva said that the District Congress Committee (DCC) forms the primary organisational unit of the Congress party, with more than 1,100 DCCs functioning across the country. As part of the exercise, senior AICC leaders, general secretaries, former and sitting Members of Parliament, former and serving Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) presidents, and other experienced organisational leaders have been deputed as observers to different districts.
These observers spend seven to ten days in their assigned districts, meeting party workers, interacting with local leaders, and visiting every block to assess the functioning of the organisation. “We are not expected to remain at one place. We have to visit every block, meet workers, understand the ground realities and evaluate the organisation before submitting our report,” he said.
The findings of these visits, he said, will play a key role in the selection of the next District Congress Committee President. According to Mr. Alva, the exercise has already been completed in more than 700 districts across the country.
He further informed that once the district-level selection process is completed, the newly appointed DCC presidents from each state will undergo an intensive 10-day leadership training programme. The programme will include interactions with senior Congress leaders, including Mr. Rahul Gandhi, who will spend a day mentoring the selected leaders. AICC General Secretary (Organisation) Mr. K.C. Venugopal, members of the Congress Working Committee (CWC), and other senior leaders will also conduct training sessions to prepare them for their organisational responsibilities.
Replying to a question on when the process would conclude in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Mr. Alva said the exercise is still underway. He noted that adverse weather conditions had prevented him from visiting Shaheed Dweep (Neil Island) and Swaraj Dweep (Havelock Island), along with a few remaining blocks. He said these visits would be completed during the second phase of his tour and expressed confidence that the organisational process in South Andaman would be completed within one month.
Sharing his impressions of the islands, Mr. Alva described the Andaman and Nicobar Islands as “the Best of India.” He said the islands beautifully reflect India’s unity in diversity, with people from almost every state, religion and linguistic background living together in harmony.
“In one household you may find a Bengali mother, a Malayali father, children married into Muslim or Kannada families, and people speaking four or five different languages under the same roof. Every major festival is celebrated here, making the islands a true reflection of India’s cultural richness,” he remarked.
Calling the islands a unique example of national integration, Mr. Alva said the social harmony and multicultural character of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands make them one of the finest representations of India’s diversity.
