Sonia Gandhi to proceed as Congress interim president, after  four-hour lengthy CWC meet

By PTI

NEW DELHI: Days after its election debacle in 5 states, the Congress’ prime decision-making physique on Sunday brainstormed over the way in which ahead “and “unanimously reaffirmed” religion within the management of social gathering President Sonia Gandhi.

Amid requires large-scale reforms to revive the social gathering’s dwindling electoral fortunes, AICC basic secretary KC Venugopal stated after the over four-hour assembly of the Congress Working Committee (CWC) that the social gathering president will instantly take up corrective measures to revamp and re-strengthen organisation.

The Congress will maintain a Chintan Shivir instantly after the Budget Session of Parliament and the CWC will meet once more earlier than that, he instructed reporters Gandhi listened to all leaders on the CWC meet and stated she is prepared to make required modifications to strengthen the social gathering, sources stated.

“Every single member of the CWC wants Sonia Gandhi to guide party till organisational elections are held,” Congress chief Randeep Surjewala stated.

The CWC has unanimously reaffirmed religion within the management of Congress President Sonia Gandhi, Venugopal added.

Former social gathering chief Rahul Gandhi, basic secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Venugopal, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, social gathering’s chief in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and P Chidambaram had been amongst those that attended the Congress Working Committee assembly.

Ghulam Nabi Azad, Anand Sharma and Mukul Wasnik had been the one three from the Group of 23 leaders who participated within the assembly of the CWC, which has numerous Gandhi household loyalists.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi listened to all leaders on the CWC meet and stated she is prepared to make all required modifications to strengthen the social gathering, sources stated.

Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot prompt on the CWC meet {that a} ‘Chintan Shivir (brainstorming session)’ be held by Congress in his state.

Former prime minister Manmohan Singh didn’t attend the assembly. Senior social gathering chief A Okay Antony was additionally not current as he has contracted Covid.

The Congress misplaced Punjab to the Aam Aadmi Party, couldn’t wrest Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur from the BJP and the social gathering’s tally in politically essential Uttar Pradesh fell to its lowest.

While Sonia Gandhi has not been actively campaigning for a while, Rahul Gandhi, together with Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, had been the star campaigner for the Congress within the polls, with the brother-sister duo additionally taking part in a significant position in key selections of the social gathering.

Despite a high-pitched marketing campaign led by Priyanka Gandhi, the Congress might handle to win solely two of the 403 meeting seats in Uttar Pradesh with the vote share plummeting to a meagre 2.33 p.c and most of its candidates shedding safety deposits.

Ahead of the assembly, the refrain for making Rahul Gandhi Congress president once more grew louder as a number of leaders and staff voiced help for him to tackle the mantle of social gathering chief.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot stated nobody was taking over Prime Minister Narendra Modi as Rahul Gandhi does and was combating resolutely.

“The prime minister has to start his speech after targeting Rahul Gandhi, you can understand what this means. All of us want that Rahul ji should take on the mantle of party leadership,” Gehlot instructed reporters.

Karnataka Congress president D Okay Shivakumar additionally backed the thought to make Gandhi the social gathering chief.

“As I have said it earlier as well, Sh. Rahul Gandhi should take up the Congress presidency in a full-time role immediately. This is the wish of millions of Congress workers like me,” he tweeted.

Congress staff from round Delhi, who converged close to the social gathering workplace, weren’t allowed to enter the AICC headquarter as site visitors was held up and the highway exterior the social gathering workplace was barricaded by the police.

A bunch led by Delhi Congress leaders, together with Alka Lamba, voiced help for Rahul Gandhi to guide the social gathering and raised slogans in his and Congress basic secretary Priyanka Gandhi’s favour.

Rahul Gandhi had resigned as Congress president after the social gathering suffered its second consecutive defeat basically elections in 2019.

Sonia Gandhi, who took over the reins of the social gathering once more as interim president, had additionally provided to give up in August 2020 after robust criticism by a bit of leaders, known as G-23, however the CWC had urged her to proceed.

Earlier within the day, prime Congress leaders mentioned the social gathering’s technique for the upcoming Budget Session of Parliament and determined to work in coordination with different like-minded events to boost problems with public significance.

The assembly of the Congress Parliamentary technique group was held on the residence of social gathering president Sonia Gandhi.