Congress Launches Signature Campaign, Unveils Bihar Strategy at Historic CWC Meet in Patna
Patna: The Congress Working Committee (CWC) held an extended meeting in Patna on Wednesday, marking a significant milestone in the party’s preparations for the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections. This was the first such CWC gathering in the state since 1940 and was chaired by party president Mallikarjun Kharge, with key leaders including Rahul Gandhi, KC Venugopal, and Jairam Ramesh in attendance.
At the heart of the discussions was the party’s roadmap to challenge the ruling BJP-led NDA in Bihar. The CWC launched a massive signature campaign against alleged “vote theft”, aiming to collect 5 crore signatures by October 15 to push the Election Commission into action. The drive, Congress leaders said, will mobilize grassroots workers and highlight concerns about electoral malpractice nationwide.
Alongside the campaign, the party also rolled out the ‘Sangathan Srijan Abhiyan’, a new organizational initiative to strengthen its presence across 10 states. In the first phase, 144 District Congress Committee (DCC) presidents have already been appointed, with more appointments expected soon.
The meeting also served as a platform for broader political messaging. Leaders hailed the success of the ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’, which drew public attention with the slogan “Vote Chor, Gaddi Chhodd,” reinforcing the Congress narrative of electoral injustice.
On policy matters, the CWC criticised the Centre’s recently announced GST 2.0 reforms, calling them “half-baked” and claiming they were introduced under long-standing pressure from the Congress. Leaders also targeted the government’s foreign policy record, citing what they described as failures in handling diplomatic ties with countries such as Saudi Arabia and Pakistan.
A significant focus was placed on reservation and social justice. The CWC demanded constitutional protection for the 65 per cent reservation quota in Bihar, while questioning the government’s reluctance to act. The party drew parallels to its own historic support for 69 per cent reservation in Tamil Nadu, pitching itself as the defender of affirmative action and equality.
The meeting concluded with a special resolution urging Bihar voters to defend constitutional rights, back social justice, and demand governance that prioritises welfare, transparency, and fair delivery of benefits.
As the Bihar Assembly polls draw closer, the Congress hopes this combination of mass mobilisation, organisational strengthening, and targeted messaging will sharpen its challenge to the NDA’s dominance in the state.
