Crucial Decision Made Eight Months Ahead of 2024 Lok Sabha Elections
Raipur, August 20, 2023 : In a significant reconfiguration of the Congress Working Committee (CWC), party president Mallikarjun Kharge announced the appointment of leaders Shashi Tharoor and Sachin Pilot, among 28 others, as members of the committee responsible for critical decision-making within the party.
This crucial decision, made eight months ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, emerged from the 85th Plenary Session of the Indian National Congress held in Raipur, Chhattisgarh, spanning from February 24-26.
It’s noteworthy that Congress communications chief Jairam Ramesh had elucidated during the plenary sessions that the party had collectively resolved to abstain from conducting elections for the CWC. Instead, President Kharge would exclusively oversee the appointment process.
While the Congress constitution stipulates that 12 out of the 24 CWC members should be elected, the election mechanism has largely been bypassed due to a prevalent culture of strong nominations within the party. Notably, the defunct G23 had previously advocated for elections in two pivotal bodies—the CWC and the Central Election Committee, responsible for selecting candidates for assembly and Lok Sabha elections.
Party insiders suggested that proponents of nomination asserted that holding elections could hinder the implementation of the proposed 50% quota, a crucial policy aiming to enhance inclusivity within the party’s highest executive body. Ramesh confirmed that this policy alteration would be executed through amendments in the party’s constitution.
In the revised list of the Congress Working Committee, Rajasthan’s representation includes Jitendra Singh, Sachin Pilot, and Mahendra Jit Singh Malviya as CWC members.
Concurrently, Harish Chaudhary, overseeing Punjab, has also been appointed as a CWC member. The distinguished roster features prominent Congress leaders such as Shashi Tharoor, Naseer Hussain, Alka Lamba, Supriya Shrinate, Praniti Shinde, Pawan Kheda, Ganesh Godial, and Yashomati Thakur.
