Congress To Form Empowered Action Group For 2024 Polls, Mum On Prashant Kishor

Congress: The Congress on Monday announced that an empowered group would be constituted to address the political challenges ahead for the party which has faced a string of election losses.

Congress working President Sonia Gandhi and former President Rahul Gandhi (Getty Images)

New Delhi: The Congress maintained silence on its decision to induct political strategist Prashant Kishor but announced that an empowered group would be formed to address challenges before the party ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha election.

Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said Sonia Gandhi decided to form the empowered group after receiving a report from the eight-member panel on recommendations given by Prashant Kishor, PTI reported.

"Today she discussed the report with the group and based on those discussions, she has decided to constitute an Empowered Action Group-2024 in order to address political challenges ahead," Randeep Surjewala said.

When asked if there was any decision on Kishor's induction into the party, Surjewala did not give a direct reply and said, "Whenever the group is constituted, you will know who is part of it."

READ | Congress 'Chintan Shivir' From May 13 To Discuss Organisational Issues

Congress President Sonia Gandhi also decided to convene a 'Chintan Shivir', a brainstorming session, from May 13-15 in Udaipur. 

"In the session, party leaders from across the country will discuss internal issues confronting the grand old party and come up with solutions to help strengthen the organisation and make it fit to take on the BJP in the next round of polls," Randeep Surjewala told reporters.

The 'Chintan Shivir' will focus on six agendas, including organisational issues. They include social, economic, political concerns, the issues of farmers and youth as well as the affairs of the organisation. 

"Issues relating to the welfare and wellbeing of farmers and farm labourers, and the trampling of the rights of scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, OBCs, religious and linguistic minorities and women social justice and empowerment and youth will also be discussed in detail," Surjewala further said.

The Congress has formed six different committees to discuss the six agendas. Mallikarjun Kharge, Salman Khurshid, P Chidambaram, Mukul Wasnik, Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Amrinder Singh Warring will be the conveners of the six different committees, the party said in a statement.

The meeting was held at the residence of Sonia Gandhi, where senior party leaders like Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Ambika Soni, KC Venugopal, Surjewala, Mukul Wasnik, Digvijaya Singh, Jairam Ramesh and P Chidambaram were among those present.