The Congress high command has found five topics to discuss in the two-day brain-storming session ( chintan shivir ) and one-day meeting of the All India Congress Committee, which will be held at Jaipur from Friday.
This will be the third such brain-storming session after Sonia Gandhi took charge of the Congress party.
Defence Minister A.K. Antony will head the group on ‘emerging political challenges’. The group will initiate discussions on future alliances, coming Assembly elections and broader points for its manifesto for the 2014 elections. The panel will also discuss the formation of a separate Telangana State.
The group on ‘Emerging Socio Economic Challenges’ will be headed by AICC General Secretary, Digvijaya Singh. The discussions will be primarily on the fiscal situation of the country, subsidies and the implementation of various welfare schemes by the Centre. The group is likely to give a political direction on steps such as direct cash transfer and the proposed Food Security Act.
All Ministers, Ministers of State with independent charge and Ministers of State of the Union Cabinet will attend the session, along with the AICC leadership. The leadership has also invited about 165 leaders belonging to the National Students Union of India and Youth Congress to attend the session.
Lok Sabha MP Girija Vyas will head the group on ‘Empowerment of Women’. The discussions will include measures to strengthen laws that provide protection for women. The party is also likely to seek ways to push the passage of the Women’s Reservation Bill in Lok Sabha.
Commerce Minister Anand Sharma is heading the panel, ‘India and the World’. The panel will take up issues such as the current situation along the border with Pakistan, India’s relationship with neighbours and the effect of global slowdown on India.
jigeesh.am
@thehindu.co.in