AICC bars second term for DCC chiefs, sets new eligibility rules

The All India Congress Committee (AICC) has issued guidelines for the selection of new District Congress Committee (DCC) presidents, barring incumbent presidents from seeking a second term and setting eligibility conditions aimed at ensuring discipline and inclusivity within the organisation, according to AICC in-charge for Telangana Meenakshi Natarajan and Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president B. Mahesh Kumar Goud.

As per the directions of AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge and organisation in-charge K.C. Venugopal, only those who have served the party continuously and with discipline for at least five years will be eligible to apply. Relatives of sitting public representatives have been made ineligible, while preference will be given to leaders from Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), Backward Classes (BC), minorities, and women.

The instructions were conveyed during a virtual meeting held on Tuesday (October 14, 2025) with DCC presidents by Ms. Natarajan and Mr. Mahesh Kumar. The duo cautioned that those failing to meet the eligibility norms would be disqualified by AICC observers.

They also directed that no personal meetings or conversations should be held with AICC observers and that district meetings must take place only at party offices or venues accessible to all, not at private residences or offices of local leaders.

The party leadership has linked the DCC reorganisation to its ongoing ‘vote chori’ campaign, under which every village committee must collect at least 100 voter signatures as part of a mass contact programme.

Mr. Goud said that new DCC presidents will be given a greater organisational role and will be invited as special invitees to the Central Election Committee (CEC) meetings.

AICC observers, including senior leaders including former Chief Minister N. Narayanaswamy, former Union Minister C.P. Joshi, CWC members, MPs, and MLAs, have already begun touring districts to oversee the selection process.