CWC to chalk out election strategies

New Delhi, Mar 11 (UNI) Ahead of the assembly elections in five States in April-May, the Congress Working Committee (CWC), the party's highest policy making body, is meeting here this evening to chalk out poll strategies.

The Congress has high stakes in the assembly polls as it is in power in Asom, Kerala and Pondicherry, three of the five poll-bound states.

According to party sources, the 20-member CWC is expected to finalise the party's poll strategy to retain power in the three states and put up a decent show in Tamil Nadu, where it will contest only 48 of the 234 assembly seats under a seat-sharing arrangement with the DMK and its allies, and West Bengal.

The CWC meeting scheduled for 1800 hrs at 10, Janpath, will be presided over by Party President Sonia Gandhi. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and other senior Congress leaders will attend the meeting.

The CWC is also expected to discuss the recent political developments and the security situation, particularly in the light of the terrorist attacks in Varanasi, and international issues, including the visit of US President George W Bush during which the nuclear separation plan was finalised.

Dr Singh is likely to apprise party leaders of major government decisions and initiatives.

UNI PMD/SN RR SP1318