Patna, Bihar, was the site of a Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting on Wednesday, marking a significant milestone as the first such gathering in the state since India’s independence. The meeting, held at the Sadaqat Ashram, the headquarters of the Pradesh Congress Committee, focused on the upcoming assembly elections. Key party leaders gathered to devise strategies to address critical issues, including alleged vote theft. Notable attendees included party president Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, and other senior figures such as K.C. Venugopal and Jairam Ramesh. Also participating were Chief Ministers from states governed by the Congress, presidents of state party units, and leaders from the Congress Legislature Party (CLP). The meeting did not include the presence of Priyanka Gandhi or Sonia Gandhi. Rahul Gandhi was slated to address the meeting, and following the CWC session, he was scheduled to engage with leaders from the INDIA opposition alliance. The aim of these discussions was to resolve differences regarding the selection of a Chief Ministerial candidate and the allocation of seats. A meeting was arranged at Hotel Chanakya for these deliberations, and a joint press conference with Rahul Gandhi and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav was also a possibility. This CWC meeting was a momentous occasion, coming 85 years after previous meetings held in 1912, 1922, and 1940. Mallikarjun Kharge and K.C. Venugopal had arrived in Patna on Tuesday to prepare for the meeting. Congress leaders emphasized the historical significance of the event, with Pawan Khera stating that the decisions made would be of great importance. Rajesh Kumar Ram, the Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee President, highlighted the meeting’s significance, as it was the first time such an event had taken place in Bihar after independence. K.C. Venugopal shared via social media that the meeting was intended to showcase the party’s dedication to the welfare of the people of Bihar, especially considering the state’s current circumstances.
