New Delhi, Jul 22: The extended Congress Working Committee on July 22 authorised Congress president Rahul Gandhi to forge an alliance with like-minded parties for the 2019 Lok Sabha election to take on the BJP.
The decision was taken at a meeting of the newly-constituted CWC, Pradesh Congress Committee chiefs and Congress Legislature Party members from various States.
The party also authorised Mr. Gandhi to constitute a committee to work out alliances with various national and regional parties to form a grand national alliance.
About 40 leaders spoke at the CWC meeting where they all stressed that the Congress should play a lead role in forging an anti-BJP front. Some leaders said Mr. Gandhi being the leader of the principle opposition party should be the face of the national alliance. Asked about party leaders wanting Mr. Gandhi to be the face of the alliance, senior Congress leader Ambika Soni said, “Naturally, he is the leader of the main national (opposition) party and we would want our leader to be the face of the Opposition alliance.”
Senior party leader and former Finance Minister P. Chidambaram gave a detailed presentation on how the party could be strengthened with the help of allies in various States.
Sources said that Mr. Chidambaram highlighted that the Congress is strong in 12 States and with the help of its allies, it can forge a formidable front for the next general election.
Party should fight for the oppressed: Rahul
Mr. Gandhi in his opening address at the first meeting of the newly constituted CWC on July 22, described the body as an “institution of experience and energy that will serve as a bridge between the present, past and the future”.
Mr. Gandhi called upon “Congressmen/women to rise and fight for India’s oppressed”, according to Congress communication chief Randeep Surjewala, who was tweeting from inside Parliament Annexe, the venue of the meeting.
“Sh. Rahul Gandhi reminds the role of Congress as the voice of India as also its responsibility of present and future, as BJP attacks institutions, dalits, tribals, backwards, minorities & poor,” Mr. Surjewala added.
Mr. Surjewala said former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh rejected the culture of self praise and jumla of the Modi government and questioned its claim of doubling farm incomes in five years.
“Dr. Manmohan Singh points out that the claim of doubling farm income by 2022 will require an agri growth rate of 14%, which is nowhere in sight,” he tweeted.
“Mrs. Sonia Gandhi cautions about the rain of despair and fear heaped upon India’s deprived and poor. Points out that rhetoric of PM Modi shows his desperation reflecting that reverse countdown of Modi govt has begun,” he tweeted.
The CWC that was constituted last week by Mr. Gandhi has 23 members, 18 permanent invitees, 10 special invitees.
However, the first meeting had 239 guests in attendance the extended CWC meeting includes State units chiefs, Congress legislature party leaders have been invited but also heads of different cells of the party, secretaries and joint secretaries.
Comments
Add new comment