US embassy cable - 05NEWDELHI3912

C O N F I D E N T I A L NEW DELHI 003912 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/26/2015 
TAGS: PGOV, PINR, IN, Indian Domestic Politics 
SUBJECT: SONIA REVAMPS TWO PARTY COMMITTEES 
 
 
Classified By: POLCOUNS Geoffrey R. Pyatt for Reasons 1.4 (B, D) 
 
1.  (U) In the run-up to her re-election as Party President 
on May 27, Sonia Gandhi on May 25 revamped two important 
Congress party committees, the Parliamentary Affairs 
Committee (PAC) and the Media Committee (MC).  Defunct for 
almost 20 years, Sonia plans to make the PAC into an active 
body and place herself in charge with a view to exercising 
more oversight regarding the party's legislative role.  When 
Parliament is in session, the PAC will meet twice a week to 
analyze parliamentary proceedings and provide party guidance 
to MP's on important issues. 
 
2.  (U) The Media Committee will determine how best to 
project the party's point of view on strategic issues.  It 
will also help organize Congress rallies and meetings, decide 
which ones Mrs. Gandhi will address, and review drafts of her 
speeches and public statements.  Gandhi confidant Ambika Soni 
will continue to head the MC, which has been reduced from 15 
members to 6. 
 
Comment 
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3.  (C) Congress willingness to reorganize and revive these 
key committees indicates growing self-confidence, and likely 
foreshadows a more aggressive posture in the next 
parliamentary session.  These moves also suggest that Mrs. 
Gandhi is likely to take more substantial steps after her 
re-election, including a widely expected Cabinet shuffle in 
late June or early July.  The members of both committees are 
long-time Sonia loyalists.  The only exception is Rajiv 
Shukla, a relative newcomer who will join the MC, and is 
quickly moving up the party ranks.  A former journalist and 
ex-BJP member, Shukla joined Congress in 2001 and is close to 
Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi.  Some speculate that he could 
become a Junior Minister in the upcoming Cabinet shuffle. 
BLAKE