New Delhi: The Congress Parliamentary Strategy Group (PSG) is set to convene a critical meeting on Sunday at 5 pm at 10 Janpath, the residence of Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi, to finalize the party’s approach for the upcoming Winter Session of Parliament.
This meeting coincides with an all-party meeting called by the government on the same day, setting the stage for a potentially intense and confrontational parliamentary session.
The Congress aims to present a united and tough stance on pressing national issues, with a particular focus on protecting the integrity of the electoral process. The party plans to highlight alleged malpractices and irregularities in recent state elections, especially in Bihar, and raise concerns over the controversial Special Intensive Revision of Electoral Rolls (SIR). Congress leader Jairam Ramesh has accused the Election Commission and ruling allies of “silent invisible rigging,” while the Commission maintains that SIR is a transparent and essential exercise for fair elections.
Security concerns will also dominate the agenda, with Congress expected to demand clarity from the government on the recent Red Fort terror blast and question whether the “new normal doctrine” of treating terror attacks as acts of war—invoked after the Pahalgam attack—will be applied to the November 10 incident. The party is also likely to push for discussions on unemployment, rising income disparities, foreign policy challenges, and border security.
Further, Congress will reiterate its call for the Prime Minister to respond to US President Donald Trump’s repeated claims of brokering an India-Pakistan ceasefire, adding to the diplomatic discourse.
Concerns over government interference in key constitutional bodies such as the Election Commission and judiciary will be raised, with Congress emphasizing the need to uphold institutional autonomy.
Social issues, including rising crimes against women and Scheduled Castes, along with the demand for full statehood for Jammu and Kashmir, are expected to broaden the conversation.
The PSG meeting’s primary objective is to build consensus among Congress MPs and coordinate strategies with allies in the INDIA coalition, aiming to hold the government accountable and press for urgent legislative and policy action. The outcomes from this meeting will shape the party’s parliamentary engagement and set the tone for the Winter Session’s proceedings.
