Thaindian News

New Delhi, June 3 (IANS) The ruling Congress’ apex decision making body, the CWC, will meet Monday to deliberate challenges before it, as the UPA government led by it faces fire from all quarters over alleged failure to check corruption and the slow economic growth rate.

The Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting comes at a time when the party has to decide its presidential nominee and the party’s fortunes have taken a beating across crucial states. The meet also aims to bolster the party’s preparations for the forthcoming electoral battles.

Congress sources said the apex committee could pass a resolution authorising Congress president Sonia Gandhi to decide on the party candidate.

The impact of recent petrol hike, price rise and problems of the party in Andhra Pradesh are expected to be discussed at CWC meeting, the sources said.

Besides Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and senior ministers, the meeting of extended CWC would be attended by party chief ministers, state party chiefs and special and permanent invitees to the working committee.

The meeting comes, a day after protest by Yoga guru Baba Ramdev and Team Anna against government on the issue of corruption. Team Anna has demanded a probe into allegations of wrong doing against the prime minister in the allocation of coal blocks when he was in charge of the ministry.

The CWC meeting is likely to take stock of the party’s performance in the assembly polls in five states, including Uttar Pradesh, earlier this year and its preparations for the assembly polls later this year in Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi had set up a panel headed by Defence Minister A.K. Antony to analyse the party’s performance in the polls. The panel has submitted its report.

Party sources said the CWC was likely to discuss the political fallout of the recent hike in price of petrol which has rallied political parties against the Congress.

With economic parameters, including rising inflation and depreciating value of rupee, causing concern among the common man and threatening to impact the “aam aadmi” (common man) plank of the Congress, the CWC meeting is expected to deliberate ways to raise its stock among people.

Party sources said the political problems in Andhra Pradesh in view of demands for separate state of Telangana and arrest of YSR Congress Party leader Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy in a corruption case may also come up for discussion.

The sources said the meeting will also discuss ways to reach out to people with the anti-corruption legislative measures and other initiatives of the government in the wake of reports that the ruling alliance was lagging behind the opposition in the “battle of perception” among people.

The names of Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Vice President Hamid Ansari have been doing the rounds as possible Congress presidential candidates but the party has not indicated its choice so far. Party leaders have also not ruled out the possibility of a dark horse emerging.

The name of party candidate is likely to be decided by the middle of this month when Election Commission is expected to come out with notification on presidential polls.

President Pratibha Patil’s termends in July this year.