10 Key Points on Mallikarjun Kharge’s Selection of Congress Working Committee Members without Elections

Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi were absent from the meeting and are expected to join later in the day.
The Congress steering committee reached a unanimous decision on Friday to grant party president Mallikarjun Kharge the authority to select all members of the working committee (CWC) without holding elections. The announcement was made during the party’s 85th plenary session in Raipur.
Latest developments from the Congress plenary session in Raipur:
1.According to Jairam Ramesh, the general secretary of communications for the Congress party, the issue of CWC elections was openly discussed by the party’s steering committee. Nearly all of the 45 members in attendance agreed to grant the Congress president the power to appoint members of the CWC.
- As per his statement, some members expressed their opinions in support of and against conducting elections for the CWC.
- A total of 16 provisions and 32 rules are set to be revised in the Congress constitution.
- Given the Congress party’s crucial role in the present political scenario and in light of upcoming political challenges, it has been decided that there will be no elections held for the CWC.
- Former Congress presidents and former prime ministers will be automatically granted a place in the CWC.
- The CWC will have a 50% reservation for SC+ST+OBCs+women+minorities+youth.
- Jairam Ramesh expressed confidence that all AICC and PCC delegates will back the decision to authorize Mallikarjun Kharge’s selection of CWC members. He also announced that former Congress presidents and prime ministers will be included in the Working Committee, as per the amendments to be made in the party’s constitution.
- Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were absent from the steering committee meeting, with the former two expected to join later in the day.
- In his opening speech, Mallikarjun Kharge emphasized the importance of open expression and collective decision-making regarding CWC elections. He assured the attendees that their decision would be the same as his and that of the entire party.
- In the Congress party, it has been customary to form a consensus body, and the committee has now granted the party president the authority to create a committee of their choosing, with the aim of preventing any divisions.