Belagavi (Karnataka): As a part of reinvention strategy, Congress party is setting up a national-level training centre, Narayan Subbarao Hardikar Sevadala training academy in Belagavi city of Karnataka which will be inaugurated on October 2, birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
Even though Congress is a national party, the party doesn't have a cadre base. Apparently following the footsteps of RSS, the party has now decided to use the sevadala services; the idea is to utilise the sevadala volunteers for the noble cause of the party.
As per the plan, the sevadala volunteers will be trained in this academy. The main focus would be to first attract the educated youth towards sevadala so that they in future help the party at grass route level, a local Congress leader said.
As per the plan, at every assembly constituency level, 100 to 200 Sevadala volunteers will be trained. These volunteers will serve the party after their training is completed.
Congress leaders are confident that this exercise will boost the party prospects across the country. They say this module of training might also be established in the other states to strengthen the party at the base level.
"Congress party doesn't have full-time workers. The leaders of various frontal organisations and wings work for the party besides working in their profession. Now the idea is to find the full-time volunteers who can lead the party," a Congress leader explained.
Congress Sevadala was founded in the year 1930 by Narayan Subbarao Hardikar, a doctor by profession.
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Hardikar basically hailed from Tilavalli village in Haveri district. He completed his medical degree from the USA and returned to his native place after completing his education. Along with three of his friends, he started Karnataka Health Institute (KHI) in Ghataprabha in the year 1920.
Along with his medical profession, he also started being involved in social service. In 1930, he started Congress Sevadala to serve society. However, there were no full-time volunteers. Later the Bombay government sanctioned 150 acres of land in Ghataprabha for the works of the Sevadala and KHI. Later Sevadala base was expanded across the country. However, Congress didn't use the Sevadala to expand its base. As a result, Sevadala started to lose its sheen over the period.
In 1995, the then Rajya Sabha member BK Hariprasad, Veeranna Mattikatti, Satish Jarakiholi and other leaders decided to start a Sevadala training academy in Ghataprabha. In the year 2004, the then AICC president Sonia Gandhi had visited this academy. Now, MLC BK Hariprasad is leading the Sevadala as its national president. He along with KPCC working president Satish Jarakiholi decided to give a new lease of life to this academy.
Reportedly, a new building of the academy is ready for inauguration. 5,000 party cadres can be trained at a time in this building. Satish Jarakiholi has taken the full responsibility of training programmes here.
According to the party plan, in every constituency of the state, volunteers will be shortlisted for the training. Those who believe in social service will be shortlisted for the training. 100- 200 volunteers will be trained in each constituency.
The new academy will be inaugurated on October 2 through a virtual rally. Party national leaders will participate in this virtual rally. Former CM Siddaramaiah, KPCC president DK Shivakumar, and other senior party leaders will also be in attendance.
