Rahul Gandhi Interacts With Porters In Train En Route To Udaipur. Chintan Shivir To Begin On Friday

The three-day "Chintan Shivir" conclave will focus on time-bound Congress restructuring for strengthening the organisation and evolving a strategy for future alliances.

Rahul Gandhi at Delhi's Sarai Rohilla railway station. (Image: PTI)

New Delhi: Months after facing a humiliating defeat in Assembly elections in five crucial states and eyeing the upcoming polls in Gujarat, over 400 Congress workers and leaders will go into a huddle at its "Chintan Shivir" starting in Rajasthan's Udaipur on Friday. During the three-day mega event, the party leadership will be focusing on time-bound party restructuring, finding ways to combat politics of polarisation and getting battle-ready for upcoming electoral challenges.

To attend the event, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi took a train from Delhi's Sarai Rohilla railway station for Udaipur earlier in the day. Onboard the train, the former party President also interacted with railway porters.

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Shri @RahulGandhi interacts with a delegation of the coolie association and listens in to their concerns.

Finding progressive solutions to our people's problems is a core goal of the 'Nav Sankalp Chintan Shivir - 2022'. pic.twitter.com/AifsktC0nk

— Congress (@INCIndia) May 12, 2022

As per party leaders, the "Nav Sankalp Chintan Shivir" is also aimed at deliberating on challenges the country is facing such as "freefall of the economy", increasing inequality of wealth, inflation, farmers' crisis, Ladakh standoff, attack on minorities and attempts to divide by using Hindu-Muslim rhetoric. 

"The Nav Sankalp Chintan Shivir will make sure that the youth is well-represented and their voices are well-heard so that the youth of the country will never have to go through the crisis they're facing today ever again," Congress wrote on its official Twitter handle. 

The Nav Sankalp Chintan Shivir will make sure that the youth is well-represented and their voices are well-heard so that the youth of the country will never have to go through the crisis they're facing today ever again. pic.twitter.com/CDLeLs6aa3

— Congress (@INCIndia) May 12, 2022

"As India is plagued by the painful lines of division and hatred, it is obligatory on the Indian National Congress to defend the ethos of the Indian nation and find lasting solutions for peaceful co-existence," Congress' chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said during the curtain raiser session of the event.

Chintan Shivir Conclave — All You Need To Know

Sessions will also be convened to delibrate on party's internal challenges and electoral setbacks. The brainstorming conclave will focus on time-bound party restructuring for strengthening the organisation and evolving a strategy for future alliances.

Sources close to the party have told news agency PTI that the issue of leadership in the Congress is not likely to be discussed at the Udaipur conclave. However, several leaders at the shivir are likely to rake up the issue of Rahul Gandhi taking over the party leadership.

Surjewala and Jairam Ramesh have told media that aim of the shivir is to prepare a new action plan and roadmap to get the party battle-ready for the 2024 Lok Sabha and upcoming assembly elections.

The conclave will begin with introductory remarks of Congress chief Sonia Gandhi on May 13 and a valedictory address by Rahul Gandhi on May 15. While Rahul Gandhi and several other Congress are on their way to Udaipur by train, Sonia Gandhi will reach the city on May 13 by air.

(With inputs from PTI.)