Congress plenary session 2023 starts today: What to expect
2 min read . Updated: 24 Feb 2023, 11:30 AM IST
PremiumThe Congress leadership will be present at the plenary session, but Sonia, Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi may skip it.
On February 24, the party's steering committee will gather in the capital of Chhattisgarh to kick off the 85th Congress plenary session. It is during this meeting that the key decision to hold the Congress Working Committee (CWC) elections will be made. Meanwhile, Sonia, Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi may skip the meeting.
The Congress leadership will be present at the plenary session, which will principally support Mallikarjun Kharge's presidency and open the door for the establishment of a new working committee under his direction.
During the three-day meeting, the party is anticipated to make crucial decisions that would spell out a precise plan for the Lok Sabha elections of 2024 and decide the approach to creating electoral alliances with rival parties to challenge the BJP.
Some 15,000 delegates are expected to attend the session, which takes place against the backdrop of the Bharat Jodo Yatra, which has been hailed as a success by the party.
The steering committee, which is assuming the role of the working committee for the three-day session, will meet this morning at 10 AM to decide whether or not there will be elections to the highest decision-making body.
Jairam Ramesh, the Congress general secretary in charge of communications, was asked if elections for the CWC seats would be held. "The steering committee will decide on it tomorrow. This matter will certainly come up during the steering committee meeting… I can't say anything about it today," he said while adding that the steering committee would take the final call.
"But we are ready for the polls, all preparations have been made. If the decision is in favour of the polls, then elections will take place," Ramesh said at a press conference.
Ramesh provided specifics on the agenda at the plenary, stating that the steering committee will meet first thing in the morning, followed by a meeting of the topics committee at 4 pm on the same day, when six resolutions would be discussed.
On February 25 and 26, these resolutions will be up for discussion. Resolutions pertaining to politics, business, and foreign affairs will be considered on February 25; resolutions pertaining to youth, employment, and education; social justice; and agriculture and farmers' welfare will be discussed on February 26.
On February 26, there will be a speech by the Congress President at 2 pm and a public meeting will be held at 4 pm, Ramesh said.
(With agency inputs)