Rahul Gandhi Chairs His First CWC Meeting as Congress President

Though Rahul has chaired CWC meets in the past in Sonia’s absence, Friday’s meet is his first as Congress President.

The Congress Working Committee meeting, chaired by Rahul Gandhi for the first time as Congress president, concluded on Friday, 22 December. His mother and former president Sonia Gandhi also accompanied him to the meeting.

He addressed the press after the meeting and slammed the BJP government alleging that their entire infrastructure is based on “lies”.

The meeting was attended by top party leaders like Ahmed Patel, Ambika Soni, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Karan Singh, Janardan Dwivedi, Kamal Nath, BK Hari Prasad, CP Joshi, Motilal Vora, Mohsina Kidwai, Mallikarjun Kharge and others, besides heads of the Congress’ state units.

The CWC also passed a resolution lauding the contribution of Sonia Gandhi in leading and guiding the party to great heights during her 19 years of presidentship.

Without naming anyone, some leaders raised the issue of enforcing discipline in the party and action against errant leaders, to which Rahul Gandhi agreed, the sources said.

"I agree. We will ensure discipline is enforced and the party is strengthened," Gandhi reportedly told the meeting.

Former prime minister Singh spoke on the challenges ahead for the party.

The New Minute reported that two-time former chief minister of Kerala, Oommen Chandy, and suave Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha MP Shashi Tharoor are likely to be inducted in the Congress Working Committee (CWC), either as permanent or special invitees. The CWC is the party's highest decision-making body.

2G Verdict on the Agenda

The CWC will accord a warm welcome to the new president – and likely discuss the current political situation, including the ramifications of the Congress' strong performance in the Gujarat Assembly polls for the party in future.

Party sources said the 2G spectrum case judgment acquitting all the accused is also likely to be discussed. The BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi had used the alleged scam to the hilt while mounting a fierce campaign against the Congress in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.

Alleged corruption under UPA-II was widely believed to have led to the defeat of the Manmohan Singh government.

The meeting, sources said, would also discuss the situation arising out of the continued face-off between the government and the main opposition Congress over Modi’s remark against Singh suggesting that he colluded with some current and former Pakistani officials to influence the Gujarat polls.

The Congress, sources said, wants to take the 2G issue to the people for which it is likely to formalise a plan soon. The CWC – the party's highest decision-making body – is also likely to adopt a resolution to this effect. The agenda for the meeting was, however, not officially disclosed.

Though Rahul Gandhi has chaired CWC meetings in the past in the absence of his mother Sonia Gandhi, it will be for the first time that he will preside over it as Congress president.

Gandhi was elected unopposed as Congress chief on 11 December and assumed the party's reins on 16 December.

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