Rattled by the disastrous Assembly election results, the Congress Working Committee (CWC) on Sunday authorised interim president Sonia Gandhi to effect "necessary and comprehensive" organisational changes and address the weaknesses engulfing the party even as she said she and her family were “willing to sacrifice anything” for the good.
At the meeting, sources said, Sonia said that "whatever sacrifices we (Gandhis) have to make, we (Gandhis) will do" and that she was "willing to do whatever you (CWC) decide", amid speculation that she would offer to resign from the post, but the CWC "reaffirmed" its faith in her leadership and that there “cannot be a whisper” about her leadership.
Rahul Gandhi told the meeting, which was held after the party was routed in five states, that the party needs to change and give opportunity to younger leaders as young voters and their expectations were different.
After the four-and-half-hour-long deliberations that saw the attendance of over 50 senior leaders, the CWC decided to hold a 'Chintan Shivir' (brainstorming session) immediately after the Budget Session of Parliament to discuss the party's strategy for the upcoming Assembly elections in 2022 and 2023 as also the Lok Sabha elections in 2024. Sources said the likely venue will be Rajasthan.
Before the 'Chintan Shivir', which will be held for the first time after such an exercise in Shimla in 2003, Congress General Secretary (Organisation) K C Venugopal said that the CWC would meet again, likely in March, to "discuss organisational changes and strategies". He said Sonia has been asked to take “immediate corrective measures” to restore organisational capabilities.
"The CWC unanimously reaffirmed its faith in the leadership of Sonia Gandhi and requests the Congress president to lead from the front, address the organisational weaknesses, effect necessary and comprehensive organisational changes in order to take on the political challenges," Venugopal read out a statement at the press conference.
The meeting was expected to be stormy with G-23 leaders raising the pitch. G-23 leaders or change-seekers Ghulam Nabi Azad, Anand Sharma and Mukul Wasnik, who had written to Sonia seeking clarity on leadership issues, were speculated to do the tough talk but, sources said the discussions were "creative” and looked at the way forward.
Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala even referred to Azad's intervention at the meeting explaining his experience in Uttar Pradesh as General Secretary after Priyanka Gandhi Vadra made her presentation on the dismal performance in the state. He told the meeting, sources said, about the need for wider consultations, engaging with several players and dealing with coalition partners in UP.
While one member, who attended the meeting, denied any leader raising the issue of Rahul taking over as the party president immediately, sources said three to four, including Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, raised the matter but Sonia intervened and said that the organisation election process was on and it should not be disturbed.
The CWC accepted the "shortcomings" in the party's strategy and that it could not "effectively expose the misrule" of BJP state governments in four states and overcome the anti-incumbency in Punjab in the short time after effecting a change of leadership.
Leaders like Mallikarjun Kharge, Ambika Soni, Meira Kumar, Rajiv Shukla and Dinesh Gundu Rao told reporters separately that Sonia would lead the party. There was no challenge to Sonia's leadership, Soni said, while Kumar said the emphasis was on the work to be done for the upcoming elections.
“Sonia Gandhi said that she along with her family members Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra are ready to sacrifice their posts for the party, but we all rejected this," Congress Lok Sabha leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said.
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