Congress's historic CWC meet in Bihar, hopes for Telangana-like poll success

With just months left for the high-stakes Bihar Assembly elections, the Congress will convene its extended Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting in Patna on Wednesday – the first such gathering in the state since Independence.The last time a CWC meeting took place in Bihar was in 1940. Today's meeting will begin at 10 am in Sadaqat Ashram -- a key hub of India's Independence movement...preferred-source-banner{ margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom:10px;}Party president Mallikarjun Kharge, senior leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, as well as nearly 170 members of the committee are set to attend the historic meeting, seen as a bid to replicate the Congress's success in the 2023 Telangana Assembly elections.According to sources, a strong message will be sent out by the CWC on the "vote chori" issue and against the Election Commission's (EC) Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls in Bihar.The CWC is also likely to thank Rahul Gandhi for taking out the 'Voter Adhikar Yatra' for 16 days covering 1,300 kms and over 25 districts in the state over the issue of voter theft and SIR.The party feels that with the extended CWC meeting in Patna, the party will be able to keep the momentum going in the state ahead of the crucial polls.The sources said that the CWC meeting in Patna will not only focus on Bihar but will also discuss key national concerns, including inflation, unemployment, atrocities against women, and alleged diplomatic failures.The Congress has also planned for multiple press conferences in at least 20 districts to highlight the vote theft and also to launch the 'Ghar Ghar Adhikar Abhiyan'.On Monday, Bihar Congress in-charge Krishna Allavaru had likened the meeting of the extended CWC as a struggle for independence.State unit chief Rajesh Ram recalled that in 1921, freedom fighter Maulana Mazharul Haq had donated 21 acres of land to establish Sadaqat Ashram. It was here that Mahatma Gandhi, Rajendra Prasad, and Jawaharlal Nehru strategised for the freedom struggle, with the Champaran Satyagraha serving as a pivotal starting point.On Monday, Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal said, "Today, as Bihar again faces a crossroads between the politics of hope, social justice and development on one side, and hatred, violence, and histrionic unemployment and destruction of the Constitution on the other -- our CWC meeting is being held here to send a message to the people of Bihar about our commitment to Bihar's welfare," Venugopal said.In Telangana, the Congress had held the extended CWC meeting in 2023 and a massive rally that was addressed by Sonia Gandhi, wherein she announced guarantees in the same public meeting ahead of polls. Days later, the Congress crushed the then ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi and Revanth Reddy was sworn in as Telangana Chief Minister.Today's meeting comes as the Mahagathbandhan, the opposition alliance in Bihar, is engaged in seat sharing talks for the opcoming elections.In the 2020 state polls, the Mahagathbandhan fell short of majority, with political observers blaming the Congress's poor strike rate for dragging the alliance down.Election dates for Bihar are likely to be announced in the first week of October after the visit of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.Polling for the 243-member assembly is scheduled to take place in October or November.The opposition Mahaghatbandhan is looking to wrest power from the Nitish Kumar-led NDA government in the state.- EndsPublished By: Karishma Saurabh KalitaPublished On: Sep 24, 2025Must Watch