Will take steps to make INDIA bloc an effective bulwark against the BJP: Congress Working Committee

Condemning the suspension of INDIA bloc MPs from Parliament in the “strongest possible terms,” the Congress resolution alleged that the suspensions were carried out “to ensure that the Opposition was not present to challenge the Narendra Modi Government as it bulldozed three draconian criminal justice laws through”.

The Congress will be fully prepared for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls and will take steps to make the Indian National Developmental, Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) an “effective bulwark and force” against the BJP and its allies, the Congress Working Committee (CWC) said in a resolution on Thursday.

Condemning the suspension of INDIA bloc MPs from Parliament in the “strongest possible terms,” the resolution alleged that the suspensions were carried out “to ensure that the Opposition was not present to challenge the Narendra Modi Government as it bulldozed three draconian criminal justice laws through”.

Briefing reporters at the All India Congress Committee (AICC) headquarters after the four-hour meeting of the CWC, general secretary (organisation) K.C. Venugopal said that the party will get into the election mode soon and Lok Sabha candidates would be decided with the constitution of the screening committee this month. He added that the manifesto committee for the Lok Sabha polls would be announced in a day or two.

In his opening remarks, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge told former party chief Rahul Gandhi that several leaders and workers wanted him to undertake the second edition of the Bharat Jodo Yatra on the East-West route.

Mr. Venugopal told reporters that a decision in this regard would be taken soon and the details would be worked out.

Inside the closed-door meeting, the AICC in-charges of Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh gave detailed presentations. However, the debacle in Madhya Pradesh came under a sharp focus, with Mr. Gandhi pointing out that the State leaders had given an assessment of winning over 140 seats in the 230-member Assembly.

When AICC in-charge for M.P., Randeep Surjewala, said that the Congress couldn’t match the BJP’s organisational strength at the booth and block level, Mr. Gandhi disagreed. He is said to have pointed out that while Congress’s vote share remained intact, the BJP gained at the cost of smaller regional players — tribal parties, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and others.