A meeting of the Congress Working Committee will be held here expectedly in the first week of June to discuss the “current political situation”.
According to informed sources, this would be an extended CWC meeting to be attended by the party chief ministers, CLP leaders, PCC presidents, special invitees, permanent invitees, besides the nominated members to the highest decision-making body. Though its agenda is yet to be finalised, the economic and current political situation and the party’s performance in five states that went to the Assembly polls a few months ago are likely to be discussed at the meeting likely to be held in Parliament annexe on June 4. Over 100 members are likely to be invited for the meeting.
The Congress lost Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Goa and managed power in Uttarakhand with the help of Independents and the BSP.
Later, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi had constituted a three-member committee under the chairmanship of defence minister A.K. Antony to find out the reasons behind the party’s debacle. It had submitted the report to Mrs Gandhi.
The meeting is called at a time when the top leaders of the Congress are busy in evolving consensus on a Congress nominee for the presidential election. “He or she could be finalised either by June 10 or between June 10 and 15,” a highly placed source said.
The number of CWC members is 19, excluding the Congress president. The number of permanent and special invitees are 16 and six, respectively.
The Congress is in power in Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Assam, Rajasthan, Haryana, Kerala, Uttarakhand, Delhi and has been a junior ruling partner in West Bengal and Jammu and Kashmir. The prevailing economic situation, political uncertainty and coalition compulsions are the three main issues on which the party has to take a convincing stand ahead of the presidential and vice-presidential elections.