A crucial meeting of the Congress Working Committee began today amid an upheaval in the party caused by a letter written by 23 senior leaders of the party calling for far-reaching and sweeping reforms in the party which has riven the organization like never before in its recent history.
Indications are that embattled interim president Sonia Gandhi may convey to the top policy and decision-making body of the party her unwillingness to continue at the helm. If she does that, the grand old party may face yet another round of convulsions over the vexed leadership question.
As reported by The Indian Express Sunday, the unprecedented letter, written by 23 senior leaders, including five former Chief Ministers, many Congress Working Committee members, sitting MPs, and several former Union Ministers, calls for “full time and effective leadership” which is both “visible” and “active” in the field; elections to the CWC; and the urgent establishment of an “institutional leadership mechanism” to “collectively” guide the party’s revival. Follow CWC meeting LIVE updates
The letter seeking rehaul of the organisation and questioning the way the party is being run perhaps prompted Gandhi to signal her intention to step down which Monday set off a well-coordinated chorus of support for her and son Rahul Gandhi in the form of letters and statements from across state units led by Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, his Chhattisgarh counterpart Bhupesh Baghel and Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot.
Editorial | Congress high command could make this moment more about itself, less about the party. Or it could listen to the voices within
The leaders, it is learned, had pointed out in the letter that the “uncertainty” over the leadership and the “drift” in the party had demoralised workers and weakened the party. Importantly, they are learned to have said that the CWC is not “effectively guiding” the party anymore in mobilising public opinion against the BJP government.
If Gandhi insists on stepping down, the CWC could ask former president Rahul Gandhi to step in but he had many times in the past expressed his reluctance to return to the top post. Rahul had resigned last year in the wake of the party’s defeat in the Lok Sabha elections. He had since then not responded favorably to requests to take up the top job again.
If Rahul refuses again, the CWC could set in motion the process of internal elections to find a new president and request either Sonia or authorize the senior most general secretary to continue in the interim. Many of the signatories to the letter had told The Indian Express Monday that they never challenged Sonia’s leadership.
“Of course, we are aware of her invaluable role, her steering the party to the two victories of 2004 and 2009 and her and her family’s sacrifices for the party, there is absolutely nothing but respect for her. The issues we raise are related to the party and its revival,” one of them had said Monday.
Comments are closed.