The Jharkhand unit of the Congress organised a three-day chintan shivir for exploring ways forward for strengthening the organisation and facing the 2024 elections effectively that began at Madhuvan (Parasnath Hills) in Giridih district on Sunday.

About 150 selected party members, including ministers of the state government and MLAs, are participating in the camp who would deliberate on the current issues involving the party and share their experiences.

“The intention is to chalk out a strategy that would be followed for preparing the party for contesting the upcoming Assembly and parliamentary elections in 2024 successfully,” Avinash Pandey, the newly appointed in-charge of the state unit of Congress informed the media at the Ranchi airport before proceeding towards the venue.

The participating members would be divided into five groups who would discuss on certain given issues and offer their suggestions based on which a draft resolution would be prepared for its acceptance at the concluding session, he added.

They would also discuss on current language issue, problems of rehabilitation and contents of party’s future manifesto and a draft on a common minimum programme to work in tandem with the state government as a partner, Pandey further informed while addressing the delegates at the venue, adding there would be no compromise on common minimum programme.

“There would also be talks at the camp by eminent speakers on two important topics on Monday,” former Union minister Subodh Kant Sahay informed the delegates.

While former Ignou vice-chancellor Ravindra Kumar would speak on Gandhi, Congress and organisation, former vice-chancellor of Vinoba Bhave University, Hazaribagh and economist Ramesh Sharan will deliberate on land acquisition, displacement, compensation and sustainable development, he further said, giving details.

“Compared to many other states, implementation of some important acts were not satisfactory in Jharkhand,” former Union minister Jairam Ramesh said while addressing the delegates through video conferencing. Those were particularly the Land Acquisition Act 2013 and the Forest Rights Act 2006, he informed.

“When I was the Union rural development minister in 2011, I found that even implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act 2005 was far from satisfactory in this state,” he further said, adding the party workers must work towards proper implementation of these acts so that the people get the desired benefits.

While some party leaders such as K. Raju and Prakash Joshi will join the camp on Tuesday, Rahul Gandhi was expected to address the delegates on the concluding day virtually, the organisers said.