Revival of Congress parliamentary board on cards, demand of G-23 accepted

Udaipur, May 15: The key demand of the Congress' dissident G23 leaders of constituting a parliamentary board has been accepted by the sub group on organisational issues and same will be put forth in the CWC meet.

The Congress working committee (CWC) will meet later in the day and a final call on the issue will be taken. But, whether the members of Congress Parliamentary Board (CPB) will be elected or nominated is still not clear. The CPB was discontinued some time ago and now the demand for it has been discussed during the 'Chintan Shivir' in Udaipur, and the G-23 leaders raised the issue in the party forum, sources said.

The CWC will be meeting at 11 a.m. Sunday and after the deliberation, the Udaipur declaration will be adopted. Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi will address the gathering on the concluding day.

Rahul Gandhi's padyatra (foot march) from Kashmir to Kanyakumari to connect with the masses is another key proposal before the party.

The yatra was part of discussion during the 'Chintan Shivir' of the party, and is likely to commence later this year in run-up for the general elections, sources said.

Similar padyatras will be organised in each state by the state leaders to push pro-people agenda and highlight the "failures" of the government and plight of the people.

The final call will be taken by the CWC. The party's interim President Sonia Gandhi has discussed a mass agitation programme against the government on inflation and economic issues.