Congress Working Committee to meet to draw strategy for Lok Sabha polls

The meeting, which comes just two days after the Election Commission declared the schedule for the Lok Sabha polls, will be chaired by Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and attended by UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and all senior party leaders.

Congress General Secretary and star campaigner, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who has been made AICC General secretary in-charge for Uttar Pradesh east, will also attend the meeting and is likely to address the CWC for the first time.

Party sources say by holding the CWC meeting in Ahmedabad in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's home turf of Gujarat, the Congress is looking to send out a strong political message to the entire nation from the land of Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel.

Talking to reporters on Monday, Congress' state in-charge Rajeev Satav said, ''It is after 1961, a gap of 58 years, that Gujarat is going to host a meeting of the CWC. It is also being held to commemorate the anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, beginning a new chapter in India's Independence struggle by launching the 'Salt Satyagraha' to Dandi on March 12, 1930.''

"Walking in the footsteps of the Mahatma, Congress will launch a new Independence movement to save democracy," Mr Satav said.

Congress leaders will begin the day with a prayer meet at the Gandhi Ashram in Sabarmati and after paying tribute to soldiers at a memorial, they will proceed to attend the CWC meeting at the Sardar Patel National Memorial.

A massive Jan Sankalp rally -- 'Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan' -- has also been organised in the afternoon in Ahmedabad.

The CWC, which was earlier scheduled on February 28, was postponed after the Pulwama terror attack on February 14 and the airstrike by Indian Air Force (IAF) across the Line of Control on a terror camp in Balakot.