The Congress steering committee unanimously decided on Friday to give party president Mallikarjun Kharge the authority to nominate all members of the working committee (CWC). According to the CWC, no election is required.
Around 15,000 Congress delegates are traveling to Raipur for the “Haath se Haath Jodo” Plenary Session, which will begin on Friday. There, they will convene for three days of brainstorming to give the party a new direction ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections while also reaffirming its central position within a unified Opposition apparatus.
Main updates from the Congress plenary session in Raipur:
1. According to General Secretary of Communications Jairam Ramesh, the Congress steering committee freely discussed the matter of CWC elections, and nearly all 45 members present at the meeting unanimously decided to authorize the Congress president to nominate members.
2. Several members expressed their support for and opposition to the CWC polls, he said.
3. The Congress constitution would be amended with 16 provisions and 32 rules.
4. Given Congress’s role in the current political situation and the need to meet political challenges, no election will be held in the CWC.
5. Former Cong presidents and prime ministers will be inducted into the CWC automatically.
6. 50% reservation in the CWC for SC+ST+OBCs+women+minorities+youth.
7. “We are absolutely certain that all AICC and PCC delegates will support this unanimous decision,” Ramesh said. “All former prime ministers of the Congress party and former presidents will be represented in the Working Committee,” he said, detailing amendments to the party’s constitution.
8. Former Presidents Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi have opted out of the meeting and are expected to arrive later in the day. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is also absent from the meeting of the steering committee.
9. In his inaugural address, Kharge, on the CWC elections said, “As Congress president, I want to just urge you to express yourself freely and take a decision collectively. Whatever decision you make, it will be mine and everyone else’s.”
10. The party’s tradition has been to have a consensus body, and the committee gives the Congress president the right to have a body of his choice to avoid divisions.
