Cong Plenary again in Delhi from March 16-18

The much delayed 84th plenary session of the All India Congress Committee (AICC) will be held here from March 16 to 18 to formally ratify election of Rahul Gandhi as the party president, three months ahead of his turning 48.

The steering committee constituted by him dissolving the outgoing Congress Working Committee (CWC) on Saturday finalised the venue and dates. Those attending the meeting chaired by Rahul included Sonia Gandhi and Dr Manmohan Singh. It also passed a resolution on the bank scam, holding the government squarely responsible.

Twelve new CWC members will also be elected in this plenary session while 11 others in the 24-member committee are nominated by the Congress President. The last AICC plenary session was also held in Delhi in December 2010 when Sonia Gandhi was formally re-elected.

Mohali, the suburb of Chandigarh, was another venue under consideration but Delhi was finalised as Parliament will be in session at that time, a Congress leader said. Had the party completed organisational elections much earlier, plans were to hold the plenary in Bengaluru as the Congress is in power in Karnataka but it was ruled out as it would have disturbed the party’s preparations for the impending Assembly elections in the state. The party wanted to hold the plenary before resumption of Parliament’s budget session on March 5, but it was felt it will be too short a time to make the arrangements for the massive congregation.