Amid Congress leadership row, Sonia Gandhi to meet party colleagues from December 19

Ghulam Nabi Azad, one among the dissenting signatories to the letter that created a storm among Congress leadership is one of the people to meet Sonia Gandhi

Amid confusion over the leadership issue, Congress President Sonia Gandhi will begin consultations with party colleagues beginning Saturday on organisational matters and the upcoming elections in five states.

Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, who along with 22 party colleagues created a storm by demanding a more visible leadership in the Congress, will be among the leaders who is scheduled to meet Gandhi on Saturday.

It was not immediately clear whether Azad would be accompanied by some of the other signatories to the controversial letter that plunged the party into further turmoil in August, after its successive electoral losses.

Gandhi, who had been unwell and away in Goa to avoid the air pollution in the national capital, is also expected to discuss the transition of leadership with senior leaders against the backdrop of organisational elections scheduled early next year.

"The Congress President is resuming her meetings with senior party leaders after a brief hiatus," a party functionary said.