Rahul Gandhi, sources say, is not keen to take over as Congress chief. (File)
New Delhi:
A furious Rahul Gandhi today intervened in a Congress Working Committee meeting, shortly after his mother Sonia Gandhi declared her decision to resign and questioned the timing of a letter written by over 20 top party leaders criticizing the leadership.
Rahul Gandhi asked why the letter was sent at a time when the Congress was struggling with crises in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan and when the Congress president (Sonia Gandhi) was sick.
Sonia Gandhi’s decision comes after a massive controversy over the leak of the letter written by 23 top Congress leaders demanding a “full-time, visible leadership”.
Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh asked Sonia Gandhi to remain party president and hit out at the signatories of the letter.
“The letter is unfortunate,” the former PM reportedly said. He remarked that “weakening the high command is weakening the Congress”.
Speaking after Manmohan Singh, senior leader AK Anthony said: “More than letter, contents of the letter were cruel.” He also spoke about “the sacrifices of Sonia Gandhi,” according to sources, and urged Rahul Gandhi to take over as Congress president.
The explosive letter spoke about “uncertainty” over the leadership and the “drift” in the party, which, it said has demoralised workers and weakened the party.
Signatories include Kapil Sibal, Shashi Tharoor, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Prithviraj Chavan, Vivek Tankha and Anand Sharma. The letter stressed that the Gandhis will always be an integral part of a “collective leadership”.
