Cong's 5-member National Alliance Committee holds its first meeting

NEW DELHI: The five-member National Alliance Committee (NAC) formed earlier this week by Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge held its first meeting on Saturday.

In the meeting, it was decided to first hold talks within the party state-wise before holding talks with the parties from the INDIA bloc, sources said.

The first meeting of the NAC, which is chaired by senior Congress leader Mukul Wasnik, with former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, senior party leaders Salman Khurshid and Mohan Prakash as its members held its first meeting on Saturday.

According to sources, the committee will first hold meetings within the party with state leaders to know their preparations.

The source said that the meeting with the party leaders will begin after the December 28 massive public meeting in Maharashtra's Nagpur on the occasion of the Congress' 138th foundation day.

The source said that once the meeting with the state leaders concludes, the committee will then hold talks with the regional parties to decide on the seat sharing formula for the states.

The source said that the process will be completed within three weeks time as the Lok Sabha elections are also inching closer.

Kharge had announced the five-member committee on December 19, the day for the fourth meeting of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc parties at Hotel Ashoka here.

The Trinamool Congress and several other parties had asked the Congress to finalise the seat sharing deal at the earliest so that the regional parties too can start preparing for the Lok Sabha elections and also plan for eight to ten joint public meetings of the bloc to take on the BJP-led NDA in 2024 Lok Sabha elections.