CWC Meeting to Address MGNREGA Replacement Sparks Political Unrest

The Congress Working Committee will meet to discuss the government's plan to replace MGNREGA, amid political tensions. The meeting comes after the Bihar election defeat and before upcoming state elections. Congress opposes the new bill, accusing the government of undermining the world’s largest employment program.

The Congress Working Committee (CWC) is set to convene on December 27 to address the Indian government's contentious move to replace the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) with new legislation. This meeting is crucial following the Congress party's poor performance in the Bihar elections.

The CWC meeting will also focus on strategizing for the forthcoming assembly elections in 2026, where states such as Assam, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal will be in the spotlight. Congress is leveraging the government's decision to repeal MGNREGA as a potential rallying cry to energize their base.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has labeled the new Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Bill as a "systematic murder" of a vital employment scheme. He, along with other party leaders, has vowed to lead a nationwide protest against what they perceive as an erosion of workers' rights.

(With inputs from agencies.)