Congress Steering Panel Holds First Meeting, M Kharge, Sonia Gandhi Attend

The first meeting of the Congress steering committee constituted by party chief Mallikarjun Kharge began on Sunday with the party top brass holding deliberations on the schedule and venue for its plenary session besides discussing key organisational matters.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, former party chief Sonia Gandhi, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, his Chhattisgarh counterpart Bhupesh Baghel, senior leaders P Chidambaram, Anand Sharma, Meira Kumar and Ambika Soni were among those who attended the meeting.

Rahul Gandhi did not attend the meeting due to the Bharat Jodo Yatra which is set to enter Rajasthan on Sunday evening.

The steering committee was formed in place of the Congress Working Committee (CWC), the highest decision-making body of the party after Mr Kharge took charge in October.

"There is a meeting of the Congress steering committee. Its main purpose is to decide the dates of the plenary session and where it should be held and there will be a discussion on this issue," AICC general secretary, communications, Jairam Ramesh told reporters on Saturday.

During the all-important steering committee meeting, discussions on several organisational matters would also be taken up, party sources said.

All members of the CWC were made part of the steering committee soon after Mr Kharge assumed charge as the Congress president.

Kharge's election as the Congress president will be ratified at the party's plenary session, which is likely to be held in February or March next year, and the dates for it could be finalised during the meeting. He is the first non-Gandhi to be elected as the Congress president after a gap of 24 years in a direct contest for the top party post.

More than 9,000 Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) delegates are likely to attend the party's plenary session.