Rahul Gandhi arrives in Udaipur to attend Congress Chintan Shivir

Rahul Gandhi left for Udaipur from Delhi by train on Thursday.

Congress’ three-day Chintan Shivir which is all set to begin today in Udaipur and will emphasize discussions over ‘communal polarization’, farmers’ issues and strengthening the party for the upcoming elections, informed party sources.

During the program, the Congress leaders will discuss the Centre-State relationship, the situation of the northeastern states, the Jammu and Kashmir issue, and communal polarization, said sources.

Around 400 senior Congress leaders from across the country are expected to take part in the brainstorming session. Congress is going to hold a ‘Chintan Shivir’ in Udaipur under the leadership of its interim President Sonia Gandhi to hold discussions on party organization, and to formulate a strategy to challenge the BJP in the upcoming 2024 general elections.

The top leaders demanded that Rahul Gandhi should take over the post of Congress President in the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting held on March 14.

In the meeting, senior Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury told Wayanad MP that he should accept the post of President, according to sources.

Sources further informed, “Rahul is ready to consider the post. After this, a proposal came in the meeting to hold the election of the President of August-September. However, it was then decided that the ongoing process cannot be preponed.”

After the defeat in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Rahul Gandhi resigned from the post of Congress president and Sonia Gandhi turned up to become the party’s interim president.

Discussions and crucial decisions are likely to be taken regarding the post of the Congress president during the Chintan Shivir in Udaipur.

The Chintan Shivir is being held in the backdrop of the party’s drubbing in the elections to five state assemblies earlier this year. The party has witnessed several electoral losses in the elections held in the past eight years. Congress has also seen the exit of some of its prominent faces.

The Chintan Shivir will commence on May 13 with Sonia Gandhi’s address to the people and will conclude on May 14 with Rahul Gandhi’s speech.