Congress to discuss poll results, govt policies on Friday

The Congress has called two meetings on Friday, one to discuss the results of the Haryana and Maharashtra Assembly elections and other key issues like the coming Winter Session of Parliament, the proposed RCEP agreement and PSUs divestment, and the other on the NRC.

Among the 17 leaders who have been called for the first meet are former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and former party President Rahul Gandhi.

A party leader said that the issue of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) - a proposed free trade agreement (FTA) between the 10 Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) members and its six FTA partners (China, India, South Korea, Japan, Australia and New Zealand - is an important one which would affect the country's small traders and the party will discuss its position on it.

Another issue is the proposed sale of PSUs which the Congress intends to raise big. The party will also discuss the Citizenship Amendment Bill.

Party's interim President Sonia Gandhi has convened the second meeting - on the National Register of Citizens (NRC) - on Friday evening. The party is facing flak from the BJP on the issue. However, former Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi had said that the NRC is the Congress' brainchild but its implementation in the state had been faulty.IANS