New Delhi, Mar 31 (PTI) The Congress has extended the March 31 deadline for its nationwide membership drive to April 15, party general secretary K C Venugopal said on Thursday.

The Congress' membership drive that started on November 1 last year is both in online and physical mode and was to continue till March 31. The membership has crossed 1.2 crore, according to a party source.

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"The Congress president has approved the proposal of the AICC GSs and Incharges for extension of the special membership drive for 15 days.

"The drive will now close on April 15, 2022, without affecting the schedule of Organisational Elections approved by the CWC," AICC general secretary, organisation, Venugopal said on Twitter.

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Earlier this month, the Congress Working Committee had decided to hold a 'Chintan Shivir' (brainstorming session) soon after the Budget Session of Parliament. The session is scheduled to end on April 8.

Days after its drubbing in five states, the Congress' top decision-making body had unanimously decided that party president Sonia Gandhi should continue in the post till organisational polls after she expressed readiness to "make any and every sacrifice" in the party's interest.

Congress' chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala had said the new Congress president will be elected between August 21 and September 20.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)