This is not merely a case of renaming MGNREGA but the “systematic murder of the world’s largest employment scheme”, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said, speaking about VB-G RAM G Bill. File
| Photo Credit: ANI
The Congress Working Committee, the party’s highest decision-making body, will meet on December 27 to deliberate on the government’s move to replace the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) with new legislation, sources said on Thursday (December 18, 2025).
The MGNREGA was a flagship scheme introduced by the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government in its first term in 2005.
This would be the first meeting of the CWC following the debacle the party faced in the Bihar Assembly election. It also assumes significance as the party’s strategy for the next round of Assembly elections in the first half of 2026 — in Assam, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Kerala, and West Bengal — could be framed.
The Opposition party is also looking to up the ante over the repeal of the MGNREGA, and to construct a campaign around the issue.
This is not merely a case of renaming MGNREGA but the “systematic murder of the world’s largest employment scheme”, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said, speaking about the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Bill.
The Union Government was taking away the right to work from people, and “there will be a nationwide movement against it”, Mr. Kharge said.
Published – December 18, 2025 08:30 pm IST
