The Congress will focus on time-bound party restructuring for strengthening the organisation and making it battle-ready for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, apart from evolving a strategy for future alliances, in the three-day brainstorming conclave in Udaipur, Rajasthan. Top Congress leaders will suggest solutions and clear the party's stance on key issues -- polarisation, Centre-state ties, forming of alliances and attempts at bringing in "uniformity", especially in the Northeast, that are confronting the country and the party, Congress sources said.

The Congress is unlikely to discuss the leadership issue at the 'Chintan Shivir', reports said, even as several leaders are likely to push for Rahul Gandhi to retake the reins of the party.

The Congress is holding the Chintan Shivir from May 13 to 15 after a gap of almost nine years after a series of electoral defeats and internal challenges. The party is in power on its own in just two states and has less than 100 members in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. Breaking away from convention, the Chintan Shivir will state time-bound initiation and accomplishing of structural changes in the organisation at all levels -- national, state, district and block.

"We have to make changes that are meaningful and not merely cosmetic in order to revamp the party," PTI quoted a senior leader ahead of the session. Apart from structural changes, the leader said that the party's agitational programme and steps for public contact ahead of elections would also be finalised.

The session will focus on political issues and strengthening the organisation. The party is likely to discuss the issues confronting it.

The party is once again stressing on the importance of alignment of non-BJP forces but said it would need to be internally strengthened first to gain a pole position in the event of an opposition understanding for the 2024 general elections.

The discussion on Congress's stand on alliance is likely to come up with a focus on the growth of some regional parties like the TMC, AAP, YSRCP and the TRS.

The Udaipur Shivir will culminate in a Nav Sankalp Resolution which will be the outcome of three days of in-depth deliberations on the political, social, economic, organisational and agricultural issues and the party's response to these challenges. The Congress will focus on issues of polarisation, center-state relations, the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, economic downturn, disinvestment of PSUs, MSP, social inequities and problems facing the youth.

The conclave will begin with introductory remarks of Congress President Sonia Gandhi on May 13 and a valedictory address by Rahul Gandhi on May 15. The Shivir will begin at 2 PM following which over 400 delegates will discuss subject-specific issues across six groups. These discussions will continue on the first and second days and the conclusions will be recorded in the form of a declaration, a draft of which will be discussed at the CWC meeting to be held there on the last day.

After former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi's remarks on the third day and later the Congress president's remarks, the 'Nav Sankalp' declaration would be adopted. Rahul Gandhi and several other leaders would reach Udaipur by train after an overnight journey, while Sonia Gandhi would reach Udaipur on May 13 by air.

The last such conclave was held in Jaipur in 2013 when the Congress-led UPA was in power. It focussed on the elevation of Rahul Gandhi as vice president of the party. In its 'shivir' in Pachmarhi in 1998, the party said it did not require any alliances but during the Shimla conclave in 2003, the Congress agreed to have a partnership with like-minded parties.

With inputs from PTI

First Published:May 12, 2022 1:57 PM IST