New Delhi: The issue of price rise is expected to figure prominently in the meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC) in New Delhi on Friday with party chief Sonia Gandhi already declaring that it was a matter of "highest concern".
The meeting of the apex policy making body of the party will be an extended affair with party chief ministers being invited for the meet, the first in the New Year.
Presided by Sonia, the meeting is expected to deliberate on ways and means to tackle the situation at a time when food inflation was alarmingly high.
Rahul Gandhi is unlikely to be present in the meeting as he is scheduled to visit Mumbai to interact with students and the youth.
While the agenda of the meeting is not known, party general secretary Janardan Dwivedi has merely said that it will discuss the current political situation.
The meeting assumes significance as it is being held a day before the conference of chief ministers convened by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on price rise.
It is also being held just three weeks before the General Budget is to be presented and wide ranging consultations are on.
Announcement of a committee to look into the Telangana issue and taking stock of the organisational elections after the completion of the membership drive, recent attack of the Shiv Sena on the party President and Rahul Gandhi are some of the other issues that could figure in the meeting.
Price rise in recent months has led to a veiled attack on agriculture minister Sharad Pawar with Congress leaders saying that not enough was being done on this front by the NCP leader.
The Congress president in a letter to party workers recently had said the issue of price rise was one of the highest concerns and she had taken up the issue with the prime minister.
The previous CWC meeting on price rise took place on August 19 last year in the wake of the drought situation and the rise in prices of essential commodities. The meet had also asked the party and government to observe austerity measures.
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