The Congress Working Committee will hold an online meeting on Monday (File)
New Delhi:
Three weeks after a stormy meeting saw Congress leaders clash over the party’s political decline, its top decision-making body will assemble for an online meeting on Monday and one of the items on agenda will be the leadership of the 135-year-old outfit.
A year ago, a reluctant Sonia Gandhi took charge as the interim president after her son Rahul Gandhi stood firm on his decision to resign as Congress chief after the party’s miserable collapse in the Lok Sabha election for the second consecutive time.
Rumblings within the Congress has grown over the last year with a number of leaders – both senior and young – unhappy with the way it is being run and the lack of direction, party sources say.
According to sources, Sonia Gandhi, 73, has made it clear that she does not want to continue especially because of her health. There is a strong chorus within the party from those keen to see Rahul Gandhi return as Congress president and lead the party.
However, a small group within the party is also critical of Rahul Gandhi and his team who they say lack any political experience and have made him a non-performing asset for the party electorally. They argue the party needs to have a relook and decide who will be able to lead the party in 2024 to take on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his party the BJP.
On Monday, the Congress Working Committee is expected to request Sonia Gandhi to continue and in case she declines, most members are expected to show solidarity with Rahul Gandhi and his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.
The question of the Congress party’s future leadership has drawn increased interest in recent weeks since a meeting of party MPs and Sonia Gandhi last month saw arguments and sharp criticism by younger leaders who appeared to blame the party’s last government for its massive downfall.
This week, suspended Congress leader Sanjay Jha tweeted that 100 party leaders, including MPs and ministers, had written to Sonia Gandhi demanding a change in leadership and transparent elections. The Congress emphatically denied it, though a section in the party said they were in the process of seeking a meeting with Sonia Gandhi to voice concerns about the party.
