At Raipur plenary, Cong will take next step to inner-party democracy

New Delhi, Feb 11 The Congress will hold its 85th plenary session from February 24 to 26 in Raipur and election for the Congress Working Committee, as per the demand of the G-23 group in the party.

Six issues related to politics, economics, international affairs, agriculture, social justice and youth employment will be discussed in the session.

"The CWC elections will also be held during the plenary session," K.C. Venugopal, party general secretary (organisation), said.

In October, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge had set up a 47-member steering committee, which included his predecessors Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, in place of the CWC.

After Kharge took over the reins of the party, all the members of the CWC, the party's highest decision-making authority, AICC general secretaries and in-charges, had tendered their resignation.

The key question is whether Shashi Tharoor after contesting the Congress presidential polls, and getting only over 1,000 votes, will be included in the CWC.

There are 23 seats in the CWC comprising 12 elected members and 11 nominated by the President.

Tharoor, though a hat-trick winner to the Lok Sabha from the Thiruvananthapuram constituency, is yet to get any sort of acceptance from the party leaders allied to the Gandhi family, including from home state Kerala, notwithstanding that he enjoys a huge acceptance, especially from the youth, the intelligentsia, and from women segment.

In the outgoing AICC, from Kerala, former Union Minister A. K. Antony and two-time former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy were there. But, as both the leaders are not in the perfect state of health, it is to be seen whether they will find a place in the new scheme of things under Kharge.

The Congress has formed 85-member organising committee for the plenary session, made treasurer Pawan Bansal the committee's chairman and three party chief ministers Ashok Gehlot, Bhupesh Baghel and Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu are special invitees.

The reception committee is headed by Chhattisgarh Congress chief Mohan Markam with Chief Minister Baghel as its co-chairman.

Party General secretary Tariq Anwar has been appointed as the convenor of the organising committee.

The top party leaders from across the country will assemble in the conclave, and all Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) delegates would ratify the presidentship of Kharge.

With 7,897 votes, Kharge was elected party president defeating Shashi Tharoor who secured only 1,072.

However, Kharge is yet to resolve the Pilot-Gehlot stalemate in Rajasthan.

Both Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his former deputy Sachin Pilot are locked in a power tussle to lead the party in the state. Pilot is silent while Gehlot is more vocal, unlike the Congress culture.

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