BELAGAVI, 17 DEC

AICC General Secretary KC Venugopal on Tuesday reviewed preparations for the centenary celebrations of the 1924 Indian National Congress session, presided over by Mahatma Gandhi.

The party has decided to hold a meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC) on 26 December in Belagavi and a public meeting on 27 December.

AICC general secretary in charge, Randeep Singh Surjewala, and the party's national treasurer and Rajya Sabha MP from the state, Ajay Maken, also arrived along with Venugopal.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister and state congress Chief DK Shivakumar, ministers, and party legislators attended a meeting to discuss the event at the party office.

Venugopal told, "The AICC is holding an extended working committee meeting on 26 December, followed by a massive rally on 27 December.”

Speaking to reporters, Venugopal said the Belagavi conference is going to be the "biggest turning point" in Indian political history and for the Congress party. "We need to make the biggest decision from Belagavi on how to fight the dictatorship of the BJP and Narendra Modi," he said.

Venugopal alleged that the saffron party was setting up a "Nafrat ka Bazaar" (market of hate) everywhere.

Shivakumar said that as part of the government programme, the statue of Mahatma Gandhi will be unveiled on 26 December on the premises of the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha by the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha and AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge. PTI