From Our Bureau
NEW DELHI: The Congress that kicked off its 3-day plenary session on Friday in Raipur, the state capital of Chhattisgarh, is not holding the elections of the Congress Working Committee (CWC), the highest decision making body of the party, much to the chagrin of the Gandhis wanting elections as a show of democracy in the party.
Instead, the Congress steering committee unanimously decided to authorise party president Mallikarjun Kharge to nominate all the members of the CWC. Neither of Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, the former Congress presidents, turned up on Friday to press for the CWC elections.
The Congress constitution envisages a 23-member CWC, 12 of which are elected in the plenary and 9 nominated by the party president while the past Congress president (Sonia Gandhi as such) and the former Prime Minister (Dr Manmohan Singh) are automatically coopted.
Congress general secretary (communications) Jairam Ramesh, however, told reporters in Raipur that the steering committee freely discussed the matter of the CWC elections and almost all 45 members present unanimously decide to authorise Kharge to nominate the members.
“We are fully confident that all AICC and PCC delegates will support this unanimous decision,” Jairam said. He said the plenary that formally starts on Saturday will decide on bringing 16 amendments to 32 rules and regulations of the party’s constitution.
“All former prime ministers of the Congress party and former presidents will be given representation in the Working Committee,” he said, giving details of the proposed amendments.
Jairam confirmed that former presidents Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi have skipped the meeting and are likely to arrive here later in the day. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was also not present in the steering committee meeting.
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