Congress to hold CWC meeting in Patna today with focus on Bihar poll strategy-talks
New Delhi: In a politically significant development, the Congress Working Committee (CWC) is holding its historic meeting on Wednesday in Patna at Sadaqat Ashram, marking the first time the party’s highest decision-making body is convening in Bihar.
The meeting comes at a crucial juncture ahead of the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections and is expected to shape the Congress party’s strategy not only for the state but also for broader national challenges.
The gathering is set to witness the participation of more than 170 senior Congress leaders, including party president Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and Chief Ministers Siddaramaiah (Karnataka), A. Revanth Reddy (Telangana), and Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu (Himachal Pradesh). Other prominent leaders such as Ashok Gehlot, Shashi Tharoor, and Sachin Pilot are also expected to attend.
On the eve of the meeting, Congress General Secretary (Organisation) K.C. Venugopal called the occasion “historic,” and highlighted Bihar’s deep-rooted connection to the Congress movement, from Mahatma Gandhi’s Champaran Satyagraha to the leadership of Rajendra Prasad and Babu Jagjivan Ram.
“Bihar stands at a crossroads between the politics of hope and justice, and the politics of hate, violence, and constitutional subversion,” Venugopal said in a post on X. “This meeting sends a strong message of our unwavering commitment to the welfare of the people of Bihar.”
The CWC meeting also comes amid rising tensions within the INDIA bloc, particularly between the Congress and its alliance partner RJD, over seat-sharing arrangements. The Congress is pushing for a “balanced” distribution of constituencies, emphasizing that all allies should receive a fair mix of winnable seats.
Key political and economic issues are expected to dominate the agenda, including inflation, unemployment, women’s safety, electoral reforms, and the party’s roadmap for the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections. The meeting is also likely to pass resolutions countering what Congress alleges are the BJP’s attempts at electoral manipulation, including a “botched” Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter rolls in Bihar.
Venugopal also praised the recent Voter Adhikar Yatra led by Rahul Gandhi and Opposition Leader Tejashwi Yadav, which aimed to raise awareness about electoral fairness and voter rights.
With its top brass gathered in Patna, the Congress hopes to energize its cadre in Bihar.