CWC to meet on September 8, to chalk out agenda against Modi govt

New Delhi: The Congress Working Committee (CWC) is meeting here on September 8 when it will deliberate on a host of issues to take on the Modi government, which it forced onto the back foot over the land bill and alleged wrongdoing by BJP leaders, including two chief ministers.

The meeting comes days after the land ordinance was allowed to lapse as the government, facing stiff all-round resistance, decided not to re-promulgate it for the fourth time.

"A meeting of the CWC is proposed on 8th September to discuss the current political situation," party General Secretary Janardan Dwivedi said.

Party sources said the Narendra Modi government is likely to come under renewed attack over Congress' pending demand for the resignation of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje in the wake of the Lalit Modi controversy and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan over the Vyapam scam.

Congress leaders have been sharply critical of the "politics of confrontation" being espoused by BJP against the opposition inside and outside Parliament.

The party is also not happy with the way government was handling the country's foreign policy vis a vis Pakistan.

Sources said the issues of amendments to the party constitution for reducing the term of its national president and organisational election are also expected to be discussed.

Congress, at its December 2010 plenary in Delhi, had increased the term of its president from three to five years. There is likelihood of the term being shortened to three years again.

The Congress has to elect its president by December when Sonia Gandhi?s current term ends. Party sources say Rahul Gandhi, who is expected to take over the baton from his mother, is not yet ready to take charge.

The talk in the party is that no decision on the leadership issue is expected to be taken before the Bihar Assembly polls due in October-November.