Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge to nominate CWC members; no polls

The Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has been unanimously asked to nominate members to the Congress Working Committee, the highest decision making body in the party, after Steering Committee meeting, which lasted for close to three hours on Friday at the 85th Plenary Session underway at Raipur in Chhattisgarh. No elections will be held.

“The Steering Committee unanimously decided to empower the Congress president to nominate the CWC members keeping in mind the political situation in the country and the several far-reaching amendments which have been proposed to the Congress Constitution. The Committee felt this was the time to empower the Congress President,” said Jairam Ramesh, the party’s communication chief.

Close to 45 committee members discussed multiple issues, including amendments to the Congress Constitution. “There will be 16 amendments and 32 rules have been proposed. These include 50% reservation to SCs, STs, OBCs, women and minorities,” explained Ramesh.

There will be 50% reservation in the CWC for Dalits, Adivasis, OCS, minorities and youngsters. The party has also decided that former Congress presidents and former prime ministers from the party will also be made CWC members, said Ramesh.

The steering committee is also deliberating on the agenda for the plenary session and the resolutions for the subject committees. The Subjects Committee is scheduled to meet later in the afternoon. This will be attended by Rahul Gandhi, who arrived with former Congress President Sonia Gandhi at Raipur on Friday afternoon.

The Plenary Session is underway at Raipur until February 26. Around 15,000 delegates attending this plenary session.