Congress leaders demand Rahul return as President, settle leadership issue

Rumblings in the Congress over lack of clarity over the leadership issue are rearing its head. The latest to seek clarity on the issue was AICC Secretary Vamshi Chand Reddy, who shot off a letter to Rahul Gandhi questioning his refusal to accept the demand of party workers seeking his return as the Congress President.

“Do you have an option to abstain from executing people’s will, which is against your genetic virtue,” said Reddy, who has risen through the ranks in the party having served in the NSUI and Youth Congress.

“Today when our party and the workers are going astray without your guidance and leadership, we strongly feel the need of having you step back as the President-INC, more than ever,” he said.

“Despite great insistence on you taking back the reins of the party, we are unable to understand your blatant disregard for our opinion and demand. Is it not your responsibility to uphold our conviction and act accordingly,” Reddy said.

While there have been demands for Rahul’s return as the Congress President, a section of the leaders, such as Manish Tewari and Shashi Tharoor, have called for organisational elections if none from the Gandhi family is keen on a leadership role.

The leadership issue has come up during recent meetings of the Congress Working Committee and Congress President Sonia Gandhi's deliberations with Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha members of the party. A section of the leaders was planning to raise the leadership issue with the Congress President.

Sacked Congress leader Sanjay Jha added to the intrigue by claiming that more than 100 leaders have written a letter to Congress President Sonia Gandhi seeking a change in leadership and organisational elections, a claim rejected vehemently by the Congress.

“It is estimated that around 100 Congress leaders (including MP's), distressed at the state of affairs within the party, have written a letter to Mrs Sonia Gandhi, Congress President, asking for change in political leadership and transparent elections in CWC,” Jha said.

Congress chief spokesman Randeep Singh Surjewala hit back at Jha, accusing him of being a BJP stooge and spreading misinformation.

“Special Misinformation Group on Media-TV Debate Guidance’ in its WhatsApp of today directed to run the story of a non-existent letter of Congress leaders to divert attention from Facebook-BJP links. Of course, BJP stooges have started acting upon it,” Surjewala said.