More Women Leaders Needed

Senior Congress leader Shobha Oza was inspired by the personality of late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi from an early age, which led her to choose politics as her calling in life.

- 

Born and brought up in Madhya Pradesh's Indore, she began her political career as an office bearer of the National Students' Union of India (NSUI), the Congress party's student wing. Late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi appointed her the national secretary of NSUI in 1987, and she has never looked back. Oza became the national spokesperson of the Congress in 2014 during the UPA-II government under Manmohan Singh. She is currently a member of the Congress Political Affairs Committee (PAC).

In a conversation with Gaurav Chandra of The Statesman, she spoke on the role of women in politics, her party's revival plans in Madhya Pradesh, and Operation Sindoor.

Q. Why do you feel the Congress needed to launch the 'Sangathan Srajan Abhiyan', and what does the party aim to achieve from the campaign?

A. The Congress Working Committee (CWC) came up with the idea to re-strengthen the party organization from the ground level. The party leadership felt that in Madhya Pradesh, and in many other states too, the Congress has weakened at the organization level. The CWC decided to appoint observers from outside the state, assisted by state-level observers, to identify suitable leaders in all districts; people who have a good standing not only in the party but also in society.