People feeling cheated under BJP rule, are looking at Cong with hope: Pawan Khera

Ahmedabad: Ahead of the Congress' huddle on April 8-9 here to brainstorm on challenges and key issues of national polity, its leader Pawan Khera on Monday said the country is looking towards the party with hope and Gujarat, the land of Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel, will show the way forward.

Khera, the Congress' media and publicity department chairperson, said every section of society, be it the middle class, Dalits, tribals or minorities are feeling cheated under BJP rule at the Centre and in Gujarat.

On April 8, an extended Congress Working Committee (CWC) will meet at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Memorial.

On April 9, the AICC session will take place, with around 1,725 elected AICC members and co-opted members attending, along with MPs, ministers and other senior leaders, on the banks of the River Sabarmati between Sabarmati Ashram and Kochrab Ashram.

The party said the Ahmedabad Session will be themed "Nyaypath: Sankalp, Samarpan and Sangharsh", with more that 1,700 elected and co-opted AICC members attending the main conclave on April 9.

"Every section is suffering today. They are feeling cheated and are looking at the Congress with hope because democracy is being murdered. Thus, as a responsible political party, it is our duty to come forward and lead them towards light from today's darkness," Khera said at a press conference.

"While people are looking at the Congress, we are looking at Gujarat because this state, the land of Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel, had always shown us the way in difficult times. That is why our leadership has chosen Gujarat to hold the CWC and AICC session. We are sure Gujarat will show us the way forward," said Khera.

He said despite slogans like "Congress-mukt Bharat" and attempts to eliminate it from the political map, the party remains standing as "it is the voice of the citizens, not just a political party".

Amit Chavda, Congress Legislative Party (CLP) leader in the Gujarat Assembly, said many important issues concerning the people of the state and country will be discussed in the AICC session.

"Issues such as malnutrition, high cost of education, contract system in employment, people affected by demolitions, inflation and corruption will be discussed in the AICC session, which will begin at 9:30 am on Wednesday," Chavda said.

As per a party release, the CWC meeting will see participation of 262 leaders, including Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi and party president Mallikarjun Kharge. Incidentally, a CWC meeting was held at the same venue in 2019 ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

"The CWC meeting will begin around 11:30 am. Leaders will discuss what Congress can do for the country and what party cadres can do for the Congress. Since it is an extended CWC, state Congress presidents and Congress Legislature Party leaders have also been invited," the party's state unit chief spokesperson Manish Doshi said.

The Gujarat unit has formed multiple committees to look after various aspects of the event such as accommodation, food, logistics and media coordination among others, he added.

A large dome has been erected at Sabarmati Riverfront for the AICC session while another structure has been put up on the premises of the Patel Memorial for the CWC meeting.

The AICC session is being held in Gujarat after 64 years, state unit chief Shaktisinh Gohil said.

"In the Congress' 139-year-old history, Gujarat has hosted the mega conclave only twice. The last one was held at Bhavnagar in 1961," he said.

Nearly 3,000 delegates from across the country will be attending the AICC session from 9:30 am to 6 pm.

In a statement earlier, the Congress said the AICC session will deliberate on challenges posed by the BJP's "anti-people" policies and its attack on the Constitution, as well as a roadmap for the Congress.