Congress to sound poll bugle from PM's home state at CWC meet

The Congress is set to give final shape to its strategy for Lok Sabha elections at its working committee meeting in Ahmedabad on Tuesday and will sound the poll bugle from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's home state, party leaders said.

The day-long meeting of the Congress Working Committee, the party's highest decision-making body, assumes significance as it comes barely two days after declaration of poll schedule for the general elections.

Sources said the Congress is seeking to give a strong political message to the entire nation from the land of Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel, with the party leadership scheduled to hold a prayer meeting Sabarmati Gandhi Ashram in Ahmedabad, followed by the CWC meet at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel national memorial there.

The CWC meeting is being held in Gujarat after a gap of 58 years. It was last held in the state at Bhavnagar in 1961.

The party will also hold a public meeting in Adalaj in Gandhinagar district of Gujarat with the slogan of "Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan". Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is also likely to address this meeting in her first public rally after entering politics.

Patidar leader Hardik Patel, who shot to fame by spearheading a quota stir in the state and is set to fight the Lok Sabha polls, will also join Congress at the meeting in presence of the party chief Rahul Gandhi.

Besides giving final shape to its Lok Sabha election strategy, the party will demand answers from Prime Minister Modi and the BJP on what they call "failures" and "unfulfilled" promises of the government.

Top Congress leadership, led by Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and former prime minister Manmohan Singh, and other senior leaders will deliberate on key issues for the national elections beginning April 11.

The party leaders will also discuss ways to corner Modi and his government on issues of governance, agrarian and economic crisis, unemployment and lack of job creation, national security and women safety.

The party is of the view that the narrative for the general elections needs to be steered towards real issues and problems confronting people of the country, from what its leaders see as the "propaganda" plank of the current regime, especially after Pulwama attack and subsequent air strike on terror camps in Pakistan.

Sources said the party will issue a statement after the CWC, covering all these issues.

The Congress leaders feel that the party needs to demand answers from the prime minister on status of the promises made by him five years ago and on his governance track record.

After the CWC meeting, senior Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and former prime minister Manmohan Singh, as well as current and former party chief ministers will attend the 'Jan Sankalp' rally', state party unit chief Amit Chavda said.

The party has been alleging that Modi has "fooled" the people with his "false propaganda" and "boastful claims" and has not delivered on his promises. It has also alleged that the Modi government has inflicted pain and misery on the poor, the unemployed and the farmers during its five years of power, which needs to be made an election issue.

They will start their day by paying tributes to Mahatma Gandhi as March 12 marks the launch of the historic Dandi March by him from the Sabarmati Ashram here in 1930. Besides, 2019 is also being celebrated as the 150th birth anniversary year of the Father of the Nation.