Rahul & Sonia Gandhi Arrive at Raipur for Congress' Plenary Session

Congress' 85th Plenary Session is underway in Raipur for the next three days, from 24 February to 26 February.

Congress' 85th Plenary Session is being held at Raipur for the next three days, that is from 24 February to 26 February.

(Photo: Vishnukant Tiwari/The Quint)

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi arrived at Raipur on Friday afternoon, hours after the party's steering committee unanimously decided to let the party president nominate members to the Congress Working Committee (CWC).

Both of them are slated to attend the plenary session and the rally on 26 February.

Other leaders like Harayana Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukku, P Chidambaram, Digvijay Singh also arrived at Raipur for the session.

Details: The steering committee turned down the prospect of elections to the CWC.

• "The committee discussed on CWC for around two-and-half hours and all the members unanimously decided to vest the right to nominate the members for the CWC with party president Mallikarjun Kharge," Ramesh said

• Over 45 committee members reportedly discussed multiple issues, including the various proposed amendments to the Congress' constitution

• Amendments to 16 articles and 32 rules were proposed which include the topic of reservation and women empowerment and their participation within the party

These provisions will be discussed and approved by the subject committees on Friday evening following which they will be deliberated upon in the plenary session.

Rahul Gandhi stayed away from the steering committee meeting that was held in Chhattisgarh's Raipur on Friday, 24 February. His mother and former Congress chief Sonia Gandhi as well as sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra are also expected to miss the meeting

• Rahul Gandhi decided to accompany his mother Sonia Gandhi to Raipur and hence, he couldn't attend the meeting, sources told The Quint

• He will reportedly be attending all other programmes

Why it matters: The closed-door meeting was being held to discuss elections to the Congress Working Committee, the party's top body.

• The meeting is being conducted by the Steering Committee – a transitional body in place of the CWC

• It is part of the Congress' 85th plenary session

There is a lack of buzz in favour of the CWC elections within the AICC leaders, however, the top leadership have given their consent for it, party sources said.

Between the lines: Talking to The Quint, a Congress MLA from Chhattisgarh said that the party's younger leaders want a more open communication channel across lines.

• "We want the guidance of our senior leaders and are happy with them making the decisions but we need to be heard. The geo-political changes and the social changes should be looked at from our point of view as well, and then policies should be formed after listening to younger leaders," they said.

On the cards: Congress' 85th Plenary Session is underway in Raipur for the next three days, that is from 24 February to 26 February.

• The focus of the plenary session is to prepare a roadmap for state Assembly elections in 2023 and the Lok Sabha elections in 2024, sources told The Quint

• The steering committee is also deliberating on the agenda for the plenary session, the resolutions for the subject committees and the amendments in the party's constitution that includes the subjects of reservation, age, digital membership, expansion of CWC among others

In attendance: Around 1,800 elected and co-opted AICC delegates (former MLAs, MPs, and party officials) will be attending the plenary session to discuss key matters of policy and electoral tactics.

• Over 9,000 Pradesh Congress Committee delegates and 3,000 co-opted delegates will also be present