DH Radio | The Lead: Congress' leadership dilemma, a discussion with Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury

In this episode of The Lead from DH Radio, get to know the leadership issue of the Congress, some history of the party, and listen to the view of Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on the latest development in India's grand old party.

Ahmed: Now, let's talk about India's oldest party, the Congress. Sagar, what's happening in this party currently?

Sagar Kulkarni: The Congress is divided on the leadership issue right now. Rahul Gandhi had stepped down as the Congress's president last year after the defeat in the Lok Sabha elections and he had refused calls from Congress leaders to come back to the post, following which Sonia Gandhi was appointed as interim president of the Congress. So to say, Congress doesn't have a full-time president, who can dedicate time to the party.

Sonia because of her ill health has been in and out of hospitals and of course because of her age, she cannot be sitting there and meeting people and taking day-to-day decisions, so that was one reason that a group of leaders felt that the party is drifting somewhat and they choose to write to the Congress president, highlighting these issue and asking her to address them. However, this letter was leaked to a newspaper, following which hell broke loose...

Sagar: The letter written by the 23 leaders raises issues of weak organisation and calls for organizational polls, so what are your views on it?

Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury: It has nothing to do with the organization. Some of our leaders have put forth questions and have drawn the attention; that they can do and have the right. But the way they put forth it was certainly undesirable. They are all senior leaders of our party and it was opposed by many of us. And it's finished...

To know more about the conversation, listen to the podcast.

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