PATNA, Sept. 24 -- The Congress Working Committee (CWC) is all set to hold a crucial meeting today at Sadaqat Ashram in the state capital, ahead of the upcoming assembly polls scheduled for October-November. This will be the first time since India's independence that the CWC, the party's highest decision-making body, convenes in the city. Sadaqat Ashram, a 21-acre site gifted in 1921 by freedom fighter Maulana Mazharul Haq, carries the weight of history. Leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, and Rajendra Prasad once planned the freedom struggle here. Now, adorned with a large white tent, the ashram is ready to host over 170 Congress leaders, including chief ministers from states like Karnataka and Telangana, state presidents, and senior members. The air hums with anticipation as the party plots its election strategy. The meeting will tackle pressing issues like claims of "vote theft" by the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA), high unemployment with over 4 lakh vacant government jobs, rising crimes against women, inflation pinching wallets and the migration of the state's youth seeking work. Coming after Rahul Gandhi's 1,300-km Voter Adhikar Yatra across 25 districts, the CWC is a chance for the Congress to sharpen its campaign and strengthen its role in the INDIA bloc, especially in seat-sharing talks with allies like the RJD. In 2020, the Congress won 19 of the 70 seats it contested as part of the Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance). Krishna Allavaru, AICC in-charge for Bihar, sees the event as vital for both the state and the nation. "We're fighting a government that ignores students' protests and bows to foreign leaders, all while votes are stolen," he said, hinting at broader economic and social concerns to be discussed. Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee (BPCC) chief Rajesh Ram, a key Dalit leader, called the venue historic: "Sadaqat Ashram, where Gandhi, Nehru, and Prasad stood, now hosts our CWC. It's time to free Bihar and India from NDA's grip. We'll fight for citizens, women, and youth." He brushed off NDA's criticisms as attempts to weaken the opposition, saying, "They divide; we unite." All India Mahila Congress president Alka Lamba added, "The BJP is nervous. We're here to address women's safety and the sinking economy - Bihar matters to all of India." Karnataka Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar echoed, "Bihar deserves better than the BJP-Nitish government. Our alliance will bring change." The NDA, led by the BJP and JD(U), hit back. JD(U) spokesperson Niraj Kumar dismissed the event: "A CWC in Patna after 1947? It's just a show. Bihar remembers Congress's corruption, not their stunts. Voters trust Modi's stability." BJP MP Janardan Singh Sigriwal added, "They neglected Bihar for decades. This last-minute visit won't fool voters." LJP (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan called it a ploy to grab more seats from RJD: "It's just Congress flexing muscle within their alliance." Patna's streets are lively with posters of Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, though some were torn down in minor clashes. Youth Congress protests, chanting "Vote Chor, Gaddi Chhod," added to the fervor. With the NDA holding 131 of 243 seats in 2020, this CWC meeting is a bold move by Congress to rally support and challenge the ruling coalition. As Allavaru put it, "Bihar's fight is India's fight." The outcome could shape not just the state's future but also the national stage ahead of 2029. The Bihar Pradesh Youth Congress (BPYC), led by its national president Uday Bhanu Chib, staged a spirited protest near Rajapur Pul, condemning the alleged corruption of the "double-engine" NDA government and the felling of trees by the Adani Group. The rally-cum-demonstration, planned from the BPCC office to CM's residence, aimed to highlight the state's growing crime and corruption. The protesters were stopped near Rajapur pul, barely a few hundred metres from Sadaquat Ashram, by the police through barricades. Addressing the gathering there, Chib accused the NDA government of plunging Bihar into a "swamp of corruption," claiming it has betrayed the public by extorting billions through basic services like ration cards and caste certificates. "Every department is looting the state. People will never forgive this government," he said. He also criticised the allocation of 1,050 acres in Bhagalpur to Adani Group for a power plant at Rs.1 per year, which led to the cutting of 10 lakh trees. State Youth Congress president Shiv Prakash Garib Das alleged the state's resources were being sold to Gujarat businessmen. Police barricaded the protesters and detained some, prompting Chib to assert, "This scared government tries to suppress us, but we won't back down. Victory will be the Constitution's." The protest saw participation from national and state Youth Congress leaders, including Mohd Shahid and Hari Krishna, alongside numerous workers....