Cong. plenary to be held from Feb. 9

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, JAN. 8. The Plenary session of the Congress party will be held from February 9 to 11. A final decision on the venue will be taken by the Congress president, Ms. Sonia Gandhi, after consulting the state units that have offered to host the meet.

The dates were finalised this evening at a meeting of the steering committee at the AICC headquarters. Announcing the dates at the end of the hour-long meeting, Mr. Ghulam Nabi Azad told presspersons that the venue would be decided depending on the suitability of the dates to those who had offered to play host.

Several States like Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Maharashtra, had expressed their willingness. The Congress president had been authorised by the steering committee to consult the State leaders and decide the venue, he said.

Still, Karnataka continues to be the frontrunner. One of the factors weighing in its favour is the fact that three neighbouring States - Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry - are going to the polls in a few months. Most of the leaders feel that holding an important political meet like the plenary session would provide a fillip to the party's efforts in these States.

The Congress expressed its concern over the ``political killings'' in West Bengal and said it was obvious that the State Government had failed to maintain law and order. Mr. Azad, however, parried questions on whether the party would support the imposition of President's rule in the State.He said it was for the Government to assess whether the situation called for President's rule and decide.

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Section  : National
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