The Congress Working Committee convened on Tuesday and extensively discussed the party’s manifesto for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, which were announced on Saturday. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, along with former party chiefs Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, as well as other Congress leaders, attended the meeting held at the AICC headquarters in Delhi.
Former Finance Minister P Chidambaram, who chaired the manifesto committee, had previously stated that the draft report would be presented to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge for discussion by the Congress Working Committee. Kharge welcomed the members, highlighting that a committee under Chidambaram’s chairmanship had been formed to draft the manifesto.
Kharge emphasized the committee’s efforts to ensure public participation in the manifesto’s preparation by holding extensive consultations across the country. He mentioned that suggestions and comments were also solicited through an online platform called “Awaaz Bharat Ki.” Kharge assured that the promises made in the manifesto would be strictly implemented, following thorough deliberation to ensure feasibility.
He underscored the significance of the Congress Party’s manifesto, which has been historically regarded as a “document of trust and commitment” since 1926. Kharge recalled the Congress party’s first manifesto after independence, released under Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru’s leadership, known as “What Congress Stands For.”
Regarding the recently concluded Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, Kharge noted its importance and described it as the largest mass contact movement in political history. He highlighted the five pillars of the yatra and the guarantees made under each, emphasizing the efforts of Rahul Gandhi in this regard.
Kharge announced that a total of 25 guarantees, five for each of the five Nyays, had been announced over the last two months. He expressed the need to outline the party’s priorities, policies, and programs for the next five years and requested Chidambaram to provide a detailed overview of the draft manifesto.
After the presentation, Kharge proposed a brief discussion among the CWC members to finalize the manifesto based on their comments. He also requested Rahul Gandhi to intervene during the discussion. Kharge emphasized the importance of ensuring wide publicity for the manifesto across different states and reaching every household in the country.
In a post on X, Kharge mentioned that the Congress Working Committee thoroughly deliberated on the Congress manifesto, stating, “The country is fervently demanding a change.” He also highlighted the schedule for the Lok Sabha Elections 2024, which would be conducted in seven phases from April 19 to June 1, with results declared on June 4.