The upcoming All India Congress Committee (AICC) plenary session in Raipur is set to assert the central role of Congress as a prerequisite for any reliable anti-BJP Opposition mobilisation ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha election, party leaders indicated.

This is meant as messaging of not only Congress’ readiness to anchor and lead an anti-BJP alliance but also to underscore that any Opposition mobilisation by regional parties against BJP by sidestepping Congress will be devoid of political heft, they said.

The plenary session will also project the recently concluded Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra as its showpiece, showcase Gandhi as the inspiring leader-cum Congress face against BJP, and his yatra effort as the propeller for Congress’ future organisational and electoral mobilisation.

AICC said on Sunday that the yatra follow-up plan, ‘haath se haath jodo abhiyan’, will be the central theme of the plenary session. Last year’s Udaipur Chintan Shivir Declaration is expected to serve as a broad base for the plenary resolutions.

Congress leaders made it clear before media persons that the party requires no patronising sermons on the need to strengthen the efforts for fighting BJP.

On JDU leader Nitish Kumar’s remarks that he had some ideas and his call to Congress to make efforts for opposition mobilisation against BJP, AICC general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal said, “Congress knows its role in bringing together various opposition parties for forging an alliance ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections to take on BJP and oust it from power. Congress has already taken the initiative during the Bharat Jodo Yatra. The Congress president has taken the initiative in bringing Opposition parties in Parliament. We will certainly bring them together against BJP in the 2024 elections. The direction on Opposition unity will come from the party’s plenary session.”

His colleague Jairam Ramesh said, “Strong Opposition unity is impossible without a strong Congress… Congress is the only party that has never compromised with BJP.”

Without taking names he recalled how many non-Congress Opposition parties and leaders have had ties with BJP in the past.

Just as in the Udaipur Declaration, the AICC plenary is expected to stress on the twin tasks of strengthening Congress and rallying an anti-BJP alliance. AICC general secretary Tariq Anwar, the convenor of plenary session, said, “The Raipur plenary session will mark Congress preparations for the upcoming elections in the state and for 2024 Lok Sabha polls… The energy that the Bharat Jodo Yatra has brought for the Congress party will have to be taken forward and the plenary session will give the party people a message towards that.”

AICC general secretary Kumari Selja said, “The plenary session will reflect on the message of Bharat Jodo Yatra and Rahul ji’s historic efforts given the circumstances of divisive politics being played out in the country. Each Congressperson will take this message forward with renewed vigour from the 85th AICC plenary session.”

About 15,000 delegates, including 1,338 elected AICC members, will attend the Raipur session.