On January 4, senior leaders of the Congress party convened in New Delhi to strategize for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, focusing on issues such as seat allocation and preparations for the Bharat Nyay Yatra, led by Rahul Gandhi, stretching from Manipur to Maharashtra and commencing on January 14.
Presided over by Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, the meeting brought together party general secretaries, State in-charges, State unit chiefs, and Congress Legislature Party leaders at the party headquarters. Former party chief Rahul Gandhi was also in attendance.
This marks the inaugural meeting of the newly appointed party officials following the reshuffle orchestrated by Mr. Kharge in December. Prior to the gathering, former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot revealed that internal Congress committee held two sessions to discuss seat-sharing arrangements with other parties. The committee will present its findings to party president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, paving the way for further discussions on strengthening the INDIA alliance and addressing seat-sharing complexities, as mentioned by Mr. Gehlot.
With the Congress aiming to break its decade-long absence from power, it is relying on the INDIA bloc to collaborate effectively against the BJP and potentially remove it from power. The Congress leadership has engaged in separate meetings with State leaders to assess and enhance poll readiness in their respective regions over the past few months.
The Bharat Nyay Yatra, an evolved version of the Bharat Jodo Yatra conducted between September 2022 and January 2023, is scheduled to transpire from Imphal to Mumbai from January 14 to March 20. This cross-country journey from the east to the west is a concerted effort by the Congress to engage with and connect with the public in the lead-up to the impending Lok Sabha elections slated for April-May.
