Cong plans strategy, dialogue session

Originally planned to counter opposition campaign in FDI in multi-brand retail, now to delve into political issues

In the midst of the onslaught on the top Congress leadership and its senior ministers by India Against Corruption and the opposition, the Congress party will be holding a rally at Ramlila Maidan on Sunday to hit out at its detractors. This will soon be followed by a “samvad baithak” dialogue session next week, the first of its kind to be held in the party.

While the November 4 rally was originally planned to counter the opposition campaign against the government's decision to allow Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in multi-brand retail; sources confirmed it will now delve with political issues.

The dialogue session, on November 9, will have senior Congress leadership including party President Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Cabinet ministers and Ministers of State with Independent charge meeting in neighbouring Surajkund to discuss the current political and economic situation.
 
Announcing this, Congress General Secretary Janardhan Dwivedi, said it would be an “informal meeting which will discuss economic challenges and manifesto implementation.” The meeting which will be significant, coming as it does after the recent reshuffle of the union council of ministers will be informal in nature in which there will be no resolutions passed. It will only have the presence of Central leaders and no Congress state chief ministers.

The “chintan shivir”, brain storming session will be held close on the heels of this session’ The chintain shivir in the party is considered of great significance as all levels of party office bearers including CWC members, PCC chiefs, AICC office bearers all strategise on a particular theme