Battle 2019: Congress tries to build a cadre, with more help from women

Scarcity of resources has made the party devise new means to build a booth level organisation

The women’s wing of the Congress has added 80,000 new workers to its fold in the last couple of months. Over the past fortnight, its padyatras and public rallies in places like Jhalawar in Rajasthan, Rajnandgaon in Chhattisgarh, Mandsaur in Madhya Pradesh and Rohtak in Haryana – none of which are known for vibrant participation of women in political work – have drawn thousands of women to the party's cause.

While this surge in membership is starkest in Lok Sabha member Sushmita Dev headed ‘Mahila Congress’, it has also been seen in other wings of the party. Congress leaders credit