The 85th plenary session of the Congress beginning today (24 February) in Chhattisgarh’s Nava Raipur will be a significant political development that all the parties in opposition would keep a close eye on. Preparing a comprehensive roadmap for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and devising agenda for the polls in five major states this year will be what the grand old party is going to focus on. The Congress is likely to deliberate on the crucial question of electoral alliances at the plenary. All eyes would also be on whether the Congress would give any hints about a prime ministerial face who could lead the opposition in the parliamentary polls next year. The question which would also be there is whether the Congress may accept a non-Gandhi leader as a PM candidate. The grand old party needs to take big decisions if it really wants to make its presence felt overwhelmingly during the upcoming state elections this year and Lok Sabha polls next year. The plenary would be a big opportunity that Congress should use to signal a big message.
Definitely, the decisions taken by the Congress during the plenary will have their bearing on the politics of opposition. The party would finalise the issues to be raised during electioneering in five states and Lok Sabha polls next year. The strategy to reach out to like-minded parties for alliance would also be deliberated on. In fact, the most important part of the Congress’ strategy would be the prime ministerial candidate. Will there be a final word on it during the discussions or will there be just a hint about the same to assess the minds of other parties in the opposition?
Certainly, only Congress would be in a position to pose some challenge to BJP in 2024. But it could be possible only if the entire opposition is united on a face who could lead the charge. If the Congress does not change the existing dynamics, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will have no challenge from the opposition camp even in 2024.
Significant change on the ground in poll-bound states is, however, being felt for the first time in over eight years since the formation of the Modi government. The change is that the BJP is on the defensive in these states. Congress is putting up a strong fight to BJP in poll-bound states such as Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. If the opposition did not give BJP any chance to polarise the campaign, the Congress may stage a comeback in the states.
The role of Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot is worth recalling here. His welfare schemes have given political strength to Congress so as to score over BJP in elections. Gehlot’s decisions and programmes for the common man are already giving sleepless nights to the saffron party. The revival of the Old Pension Scheme is the main headache for the BJP. The Central government’s negative remarks on this scheme are giving Congress an edge. The government employees are demanding the OPS implementation in many BJP-ruled states. Similarly, the coverage under the Chiranjeevi Swasthya Yojana in Rajasthan is now Rs 25 lakh per household (from Rs 10 lakh earlier). This health insurance scheme is popular in other states as well. Moreover, gas cylinders for Rs 500 each to the poor, free power up to 2000 units to farmers, etc. are some of the other schemes of the Gehlot government which would be quite beneficial for Congress in election-bound states.
If Congress returns to power in the four major states going to polls this year, there will be a different scenario then in 2024. However, the Congress high command and the Gandhi family have to take a call on how the party goes ahead with these schemes in polls.
During the three-day plenary, which would conclude on 26 February, the Congress would confirm the election of Mallikarjuna Kharge as AICC President. The second agenda would be to select the members for the highest decision making body Congress Working Committee (CWC). While the Congress president has the power to nominate 12 members of the CWC, as many members are included in the panel through election. The election to the CWC would be held only if Rahul Gandhi insists on it. Otherwise, all the members would be selected. It would be interesting to see whether new members are given representation in the CWC, or most of the existing members are repeated. The economic, political and agricultural resolutions would also be important. All eyes would be on announcements related to politically important issues and the farmers’ issues. The plenary would witness the chorus in support of Rahul Gandhi as PM candidate. There would also be a strong pitch for the second part of Bharat Jodo Yatra.
