As the 85th Plenary Session began today in Raipur, Congress leader Sachin Pilot said that the party will emerge stronger and the countdown of the NDA government at the Centre has begun with the meeting.
“A new message will go across to the members of the Congress party through this session. The resolutions that will be passed in the Plenary Session here will be taken to the grassroots. The reverse countdown of the NDA government for 2024 has begun with this. The party will emerge stronger after this,” Pilot said ahead of the Plenary Session. When asked about Rahul Gandhi’s Prime Ministerial candidature in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, he said, “Let the resolutions be adopted, and all the results will come to the fore”.
At Nava Raipur, Chhattisgarh, the Congress party is holding its 85th annual general meeting.
On whether or not there will be elections for the House Working Committee, speculation continues.
The agenda for the plenary session will be decided at a steering committee meeting on Friday morning. Also, the gathering will decide whether or not elections for the Congress Working Committee will take place.
According to sources, the majority of party leaders oppose having elections and prefer that the party president be granted the authority to propose candidates for the Congress Working Committee.
Rahul Gandhi, a former president of the Congress, has been a vocal supporter of voting.
In the absence of elections, the Congress president will propose 23 of the 25 CWC members.
The party leader in Parliament and the president of the Congress are both given ex-officio membership in the CWC.
According to the party’s constitution, 12 of the remaining 23 members must be elected and 11 nominees must be approved. Hence, assuming elections are done, there will be 12 CWC members.
But, the president will also propose the other 12 CWC members if the motion to nominate 11 members is approved.
There are rumours that the Gandhi family may skip the steering committee meeting so that they won’t be held responsible if it decides not to hold the CWC elections, according to sources.
On Friday afternoon, Rahul and Sonia Gandhi are anticipated to arrive in Raipur for the plenary.