Cong to hold CWC meet on Oct 9 in Delhi, discuss strategy ahead of polls

Congress' top decision making body CWC will meet on October 9 here to deliberate on the current political situation, caste census and further firm up the strategy for the upcoming assembly elections in five states.

The party is seeking to retain power in Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan, while hoping to wrest power from the BJP in Madhya Pradesh, BRS in Telangana and the Mizo National Front (MNF) in Mizoram.

The meeting is likely to have a discussion on the caste census. The Congress has made a strong pitch for the caste census and has raised the demand for giving rights on the basis of population with emphasis on other backward classes (OBCs).

The CWC meet also comes at a time when some opposition leaders are facing heat from central agencies. The latest in the series of arrests is that of AAP leader Sanjay Singh in the Delhi excise policy case and the Congress top leadership will have to take a call on extending support to him and others being targeted by the government.

The meeting of the top decision making body of the Congress comes just over three weeks after the first meeting of the reconstituted Congress Working Committee (CWC) was held in Hyderabad on September 16 to evolve a strategy for the assembly polls in five states and the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Sources said the CWC will be meet on Monday at the AICC headquarters here to discuss the current political situation and to follow up on the decisions and discussions at the top decision-making body's meeting in Hyderabad.

Chief ministers of Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh will also attend the meeting.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge had on August 20 reconstituted the CWC, retaining the old guard and giving space to the young in the 84-member body. This will be the first meeting of the CWC in the national capital.

The CWC has 39 regular members, 32 permanent invitees and 13 special invitees, including 15 women and several new faces.