AICC plenary session LIVE updates: Present govt has left no stone unturned to destroy Congress, but we won't cower, says Sonia Gandhi

Congress plenary meet updates: “To those who challenge us, I would say… as of now we have won bypolls under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi, soon you’ll see us winning states and in 2019, Congress will win the elections, Rajasthan Congress Committee chief Sachin Pilot said on Saturday. The Congress’s top leadership on Friday gave a final shape to the party’s political roadmap and vision for the next five years that will be unveiled at its plenary session on Saturday. The party’s focus at the conclave would be to highlight the failures of the Narendra Modi government and deciding on the vision and path forward for the next five years. The Congress will use the opportunity to attack the BJP and its government and motivate its workers to win public support for the 2019 general elections. The party will also focus on workers at this meet, where they will be allowed to speak about their vision for the party. [caption id=“attachment_4239153” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Congress leaders Rahul and Sonai Gandhi. Reuters[/caption] Congress president Rahul Gandhi chaired the meeting of the subjects committee, which included members of the steering committee that had replaced the working committee, and gave final shape to the draft resolutions to be adopted at the conclave. All Congress chief ministers, state Congress presidents and Congress legislature party leaders from all states took part in Friday’s meeting. Former prime minister Manmohan Singh, ex-Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and top party leaders were also present at the meeting. “The Committee deliberated four resolutions which will be presented at the Congress plenary session in great detail. Various suggestions came forward and Congress president Rahul Gandhi has directed the chairman of these committees (working on the resolutions) to incorporate these suggestions in the resolutions,” Congress communications in-charge Randeep Surjewala told reporters after the meeting. “The present plenary session will be unique and new in many ways. It will be truly a workers plenary. Congress president Rahul Gandhi wants that the focus must go away from leadership to issues and ideology. The Congress president has desired that the focus should not be on individuals but on the way forward,” he said. Surjewala said that this plenary session on Saturday and Sunday will decide on the way forward for the next five years. It will also spell out the vision and direction, the Congress party wants to take to deal with the problems facing the nation, he said. The open session on Saturday — which is being attended by all AICC and PCC delegates and workers — will start with the inaugural address of the party chief. During the session, two resolutions, one political and another on agriculture, jobs and poverty alleviation will be adopted. The resolutions would also be deliberated upon at the session, with leaders and workers airing their views on key issues. Sources said Sonia Gandhi is also expected to speak at the session, to be held at Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi on Saturday. The political resolution will also give a final shape to the party’s plans of aligning with like-minded parties to defeat the BJP in the next general elections. It will also highlight how the BJP has attacked institutions and is dividing society by propagating only one ideology. The top leaders are also expected to deliberate on the current political situation and the path forward. The Congress has already stated that the plenary will focus on party workers than its leaders as it goes about strengthening the organisation ahead of the next Lok Sabha polls. With inputs from PTI