The meeting comes in the backdrop of a continuing suspense over Rahul Gandhi's future role in Congress

Rahul Gandhi will meet the chief ministers of the Congress-ruled states today, for the first time since he offered to resign as the party chief last month.

The meeting comes in the backdrop of a continuing suspense over Mr Gandhi's future role in the party and a spate of resignations by Congress leaders at various levels.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy will be present at the meeting with Mr Gandhi today afternoon.

While the agenda of the meeting is not known, it is expected that there will be brainstorming over the dismal performance of the grand old party in the recently-concluded Lok Sabha polls, especially in the Hindi heartland states where it won three Assembly elections in December last.

At the May 25 Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting, where Mr Gandhi had offered to resign, he had lamented that Kamal Nath and Ashok Gehlot had given more importance to their sons over the party.

Today's meeting will be Mr Gandhi's first with the chief ministers since he told the CWC that he wanted to resign as the party chief.