Three months after being authorized by the party, congress president Sonia Gandhi today reconstituted the Congress Working Committee by dropping senior leaders G. Venkataswamy, K. Keshava Rao, Kishore Chandra Deo, Arjun Singh and Mohsina Kidwai.  

Andhra Pradesh, which has got highest share of MPs in the Lok Sabha, has no representative now in the reconstituted Congress Working Committee, the highest policy making body of the party. Senior leaders G. Venkataswamy, K. Keshava Rao and Kishore Chandra Deo represented AP on the earlier committee.

The Working Committee, which will have 19 members including Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, retains Rahul Gandhi, senior ministers Pranab Mukherjee, A.K. Antony, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Ambika Soni and senior leaders Motilal Vora, Digvijay Singh and Janardan Dwivedi as its members.

Venkataswamy recently attacked Sonia Gandhi on the merger of PRP with the congress and criticised her on several counts. Keshava Rao on many occasions dabbled in petty politics by joining issues with senior leaders on matters related to Telangana.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, Union Ministers Mallikarjun Kharge and V. Narayansami were also not re-nominated to the Working Committee by Sonia.

Among the new entrants to the highest policy making body are Oscar Fernandes who also now holds charge as general secretary. Senior leader Ahmed Patel, who retains his position as political secretary to Congress president, will continue to be part of the CWC.

Home Minister P. Chidambaram, who is a member of the elite Core Group of the party, has been made a permanent invitee in the CWC. Mr. Arjun Singh and Ms. Kidwai, who were dropped as members, will now attend the CWC meetings as permanent Invitees.