Sonia to revamp CWC, Rahul may be included

The Congress Working Committee (CWC) is likely to be reorganised ahead of the re-constitution of the All-India Congress Committee at the party's plenary session in Hyderabad next month.

According to highly placed party sources, constitution of the CWC could be effected shortly. "Although it was earlier expected at the plenary session in Hyderabad that starts from January 21, there are strong indications that the high command is going to constitute the CWC much before that," a party general secretary told Business Standard.

The 25-member CWC consists of the Congress president, the leader of the House in Parliament and 12 elected members. Eleven members can be appointed by the Congress president.

But the Congress chief Sonia Gandhi holds a carte blanche in her hand now with most of the state Congress committees having already authorised her to nominate CWC members on their behalf.

Congress sources said Rahul Gandhi was set to gain an entry into the new CWC, although it was not clear whether it would be through nomination or election. They said the Congress president, as also the young MP, were in favour of induction through election, but a final word was yet to come.

"But that is no longer an issue because all PCCs have already authorised her to nominate members," said sources.

As for the profile of the new CWC, much will depend on who all are inducted in the Cabinet. Many strong contenders for the new CWC, like Ambika Soni and Motilal Vora, also aspire for a Cabinet berth.

Sources said CWC's constitution is linked with the expansion of the Cabinet and both exercises could be effected within a short period of time.

"Whoever is left out in one may be accommodated in the other. In all probability, the CWC re-constitution will come after a Cabinet expansion," they said.

Instead of constituting the CWC, Sonia Gandhi had earlier converted it into a central steering committee consisting of former working committee members.