Rahul Gandhi chairs CWC meet, decides to target Modi govt on corruption

Addressing media after the meet, senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot mentioned that besides the issues of National Register of Citizens (NRC), Draft Bill, corruption, bank fraud cases and Rafale deal, the party is also preparing for the upcoming elections in four states. “Issues of NRC Draft Bill, corruption, bank fraud cases and Rafale deal were discussed in CWC. Discussions were held on the issue of unemployment. We have also started preparations for upcoming elections in four states,” he was quoted as saying by ANI.

The CWC met today. As a team, we discussed the political situation in the country & the huge opportunity for the Congress to highlight issues of corruption and failure of the government to provide jobs to our youth. Thank you to all those who attended today’s meeting. pic.twitter.com/QTPM8ltO51

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) August 4, 2018

After the CWC meeting, Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said that the party will launch a public campaign or ‘Jan Andolan’, against the Narendra Modi-led government in the next few days while in consultation with state units and leaders, according to a report by PTI.

The Congress alleged that the government’s ‘complicity and connivance’ in helping Mehul Choksi escape has been exposed and quoted Antiguan authorities who said that Indian agencies gave no unfavourable information against Mehul Choksi when a background check was conducted before granting the billionaire his citizenship.

Also read | CWC meeting on August 4: Rafale deal, NRC, jobs on agenda

CWC meet today: Leaders in the party remain divided over Assam’s NRC, which was released earlier this week (Express Photo/Amit Mehra)

Surjewala said that the National Register of Citizens (NRC) was initiated by late prime minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1985 after signing an accord with Assam and it was Congress’ ‘baby’.

“The NRC is a baby of the Congress party and it will ensure that no Indian citizens is deprived of his legitimate right,” he said.

During the previous CWC meet on July 22, the Congress had laid down its strategy for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The party, which will fight the election under the stewardship of Gandhi, will set up a group to look into forming alliances across the country.

The party also decided on a mass movement to highlight issues including agrarian distress, joblessness, state of the economy, atrocities against Dalits and tribals, attacks on women, foreign policy and worsening internal security and restoration of institutional integrity to take on the BJP-led government.

Also read | Rahul rejigs CWC: No chief ministers, no one from Bengal, Bihar

CWC meet today: This is Rahul Gandhi’s second meeting as Congress president since he took over reins of the party in December. (Express Photo/Amit Mehra)

The members of the new CWC are: Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, Manmohan Singh, Motilal Vora, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Mallikarjun Kharge, AK Antony, Ahmed Patel, Ambika Soni, Oommen Chandy, Tarun Gogoi, Siddaramaiah, Anand Sharma, Harish Rawat, Kumari Selja, Mukul Wasnik, Avinash Pande, K C Venugopal, Dipak Babaria, Tamradhwaj Sahu, Raghuveer Meena, Gaikhangam and Ashok Gehlot.