Congress subjects committee meets, plenary to chalk party's ideological direction

New Delhi: The subjects committee of the Congress met on the first day of the party's plenary here under leadership of party chief Rahul Gandhi and finalised four draft resolutions that will help set the direction and way forward for the party for the next five years.

The political resolution, which will be taken up on Saturday, will outline the party's strategy to defeat the BJP-led government in 2019. It is also likely to spell out the party's stance on alliances amidst growing voices within the opposition for need of coming together against the NDA in 2019. 

A resolution on agriculture, poverty alleviation and unemployment is also expected to be taken up on Saturday. 

Gandhi will on Saturday deliver his inaugural address that will set the tone for the meeting. UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi is expected to speak later in the day. 

Congress Communications Department incharge Randeep Singh Surjewala told reporters after the meeting of the subjects committee, which lasted over three hours, that all draft resolutions including on economy and foreign affairs were discussed. 

He said nearly 70 members gave their suggestions and Rahul Gandhi asked these to be incorporated in the resolutions. 

"This plenary will decide the vision and direction and the way forward of the Congress for the next five years," Surjewala said, adding that agriculture, employment, poverty alleviation, national security, foreign policy and economy will be discussed.

"What is the present condition, what is the future, what is Congress's vision on these issues. How the party will solve the problems of the farmers, how to generate employment, new steps for poverty alleviation, how to improve the economic condition," he said.

With Rahul Gandhi's emphasis on youth and workers, the plenary will see the youth leaders speaking on the resolutions and some of their suggestions are likely to incorporated. 

"It will be a workers plenary. Rahul Gandhi has made it clear that the focus should not be on leadership but on workers," Surjewala said. 

The subjects committee comprises of the members of party's steering committee, Congress legislative party leaders, state Congress chiefs, office-bearers of the parliamentary party, chiefs of frontal organisations and heads of sub-committees that have formulated the plenary resolutions. 

Keen to build a grass-roots campaign against the Modi govenrment, the party will come out with "facts sheets" in the form of booklets on agriculture, economy, youth, weaker sections, besides national security. 

Rahul Gandhi will make his concluding remarks on Sunday.