Sonia Gandhi will continue as the interim chief of the Congress and a process to find a replacement for her will begin soon, the party’s top decision-making body said, against the backdrop of a mini-rebellion in the party surrounding its leadership crisis.
The Congress Working Committee (CWC) did not set a date for the next All India Congress Committee (AICC) session to elect a new president, but senior party leaders believe the process could start in the next six months, beginning with changes at the organizational level.
“The CWC authorizes the Congress president to affect organizational changes that she may deem appropriate to take on the challenges listed above. In the light of the above deliberations and conclusions, the CWC unanimously requests Sonia Gandhi to continue to lead the Indian National Congress until such time as circumstances will permit an AICC session to be convened,” the resolution adopted by the CWC read.
K.C. Venugopal, the party’s general secretary in-charge of organisation, told reporters after the nearly seven-hour CWC meeting that Gandhi wrote to him four days ago, on 20 August, to begin deliberations for a process to have an AICC session at the earliest. Gandhi was named interim chief of the party on 10 August last year, and several CWC members called for a return of former party chief Rahul Gandhi to the top post.
The developments come against the backdrop of a letter written by some senior Congress leaders demanding a complete overhaul of the organization, including the need for a “full-time and effective leadership”. When asked if there would be any disciplinary action or a committee to look into the challenges, chief party spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala reiterated that Gandhi has been authorized to take any decision regarding the organization.
The meeting discussed the possibility of setting up a committee of four to five members to assist Gandhi and deliberate upon the challenges, a person aware of the developments, however, said. “We expect some organization-related announcement soon, which includes the setting up of a committee to look into the challenges,” this person said on condition of anonymity.
The CWC virtual meeting began with Sonia Gandhi expressing her wish to be relieved of her duties as interim chief. Soon after her introductory remarks, former prime minister Manmohan Singh urged her to rethink and consider continuing in the top post. All CWC members expressed their views and most of them said that either she should continue on the top post or Rahul Gandhi should take charge.
“There are only four key members who were signatories of the letter and are part of the CWC. In the meeting, most of them said that the letter was meant to bring attention to key issues surrounding the party. At least one of the four members was very vocal and stuck to the stand taken in the meeting but added that if the party felt a line was crossed, then action can be taken,” said another senior party leader, seeking anonymity.
Senior leaders added that in the meeting Rahul Gandhi did speak about the timing of the letter and how putting it in public domain hurts the party. Some members close to the former party president turned emotional and hit out at the signatories of the letter, saying it does not befit the party’s culture, according to another leader aware of the developments.
