Congress' 3-day 'Chintan Shivir' to begin in Udaipur today - here's what's on agenda

'Communal polarisation', farmers' issues and strengthening the party for the upcoming elections - these will be the key points of discussion. Sonia Gandhi will address the meeting on the first day while Rahul Gandhi will give concluding remarks.

Pic courtesy: ANI (file photo)

New Delhi: The three-day Chintan Shivir of Congress Party is all set to begin today (May 13, Friday) in Udaipur and it will emphasise on discussions over 'communal polarisation', farmers' issues and strengthening the party for the upcoming elections, informed party sources.

Sources informed that Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi will address the party leaders at the Chintan Shivir. "Six groups have been formed for Chintan Shivir. Every group will have 60 to 70 people. No paper discussion will take place," sources told ANI.

During the programme, 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. Besides this, other committees will have discussions on the issues like public sector disinvestment, rising inflation, minority issues and women's issues, while youth will discuss New Education Policy and rising unemployment. 

The Agriculture Committee will discuss the legalisation of MSP, loan waiver and the wheat price issue will be discussed. On the part of the organisation committee, the national, state, district and block level reforms will be discussed but most importantly, the "One Family One Ticket" strategy is also on the agenda for discussion.

A party leader who is an active member of the Chintan Shivir exercise said that the moto of Congress behind holding the exercise is to deliberate upon the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The focus of Chintan Shivir will be formulating an action plan for the party, and steps to be taken to strengthen the organisation.

On the first day, Sonia Gandhi will address the Shivir and then discussions will be continued for the second day. After that, Rahul Gandhi will address the people on the last day and the Congress interim president will give concluding remarks. 

On Thursday, Rahul Gandhi boarded a train for Udaipur from Delhi's Sarai Rohilla railway station along with some other senior leaders of the party as he headed to the Chintan Shivir'. The Congress had booked two bogies of the train as many party leaders, including Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and former Union minister Jairam Ramesh, were travelling along with Gandhi in the train to attend the session from May 13 to May 15.

(With inputs from Agencies)