Congress will hold a Chintan Shivir immediately after Parliament’s budget session.
Days after the election debacle in five states, Congress’ highest decision-making body brainstormed on Sunday on the path to follow “” and unanimously reaffirmed confidence in Congress President Sonia Gandhi’s leadership.
Amid calls for large-scale reforms to reinvigorate the party’s dwindling electoral fortunes, AICC Secretary General KC Venugopal said after the more than four-hour Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting that the party chairman would immediately take corrective action. will take measures to innovate and reform. – strengthen the organisation.
Congress will hold a Chintan Shivir immediately after Parliament’s budget session and the CWC will meet again for that, he told reporters that Gandhi listened to all leaders at the CWC meeting and said she is ready to make the necessary changes to to strengthen the party, sources said.
“Every member of the CWC wants Sonia Gandhi to lead the party until organizational elections are held,” Congress leader Randeep Surjewala said.
The CWC has unanimously reaffirmed its confidence in Congress President Sonia Gandhi’s leadership, Venugopal added.
Former party chief Rahul Gandhi, general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Venugopal, opposition leader in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, party leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and P Chidambaram were among those who attended the congress working committee meeting.
Ghulam Nabi Azad, Anand Sharma and Mukul Wasnik were the only three of the group of 23 leaders who attended the meeting of the CWC, which has a large number of Gandhi family loyalists.
Congress president Sonia Gandhi listened to all leaders at the CWC meeting and said she is ready to make any changes required to strengthen the party, sources said.
Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot suggested at the CWC meeting that Congress in his state hold a ‘Chintan Shivir (brainstorming session)’.
Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was not present at the meeting. Senior party leader AK Antony was also not present because he contracted Covid.
Congress lost Punjab to the Aam Aadmi party, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur were unable to wrestle from the BJP and the party’s share of politically crucial Uttar Pradesh fell to its lowest point.
Although Sonia Gandhi has not been actively campaigning for a while, Rahul Gandhi, along with Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, has been the main campaigner for Congress in the polls, with the brother-sister duo also playing a key role in key party decisions.
Despite a pompous campaign led by Priyanka Gandhi, Congress managed to win only two of the 403 congressional seats in Uttar Pradesh.
Ahead of the meeting, the chorus for making Rahul Gandhi Congress president sounded louder again as several leaders and workers backed him to take on the mantle of party leader.
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said no one took Prime Minister Narendra Modi like Rahul Gandhi does and fought resolutely.
“The Prime Minister should start his speech after targeting Rahul Gandhi, you understand what this means. We all want Rahul ji to take on the mantle of party leadership,” Gehlot told reporters.
Karnataka Congress President DK Shivakumar also supported the idea of making Gandhi the party leader.
“Like I’ve said it before, Sh. Rahul Gandhi should immediately assume the presidency of Congress in a full-time position. This is the wish of millions of congressmen like me,” he tweeted.
Congressmen from all over Delhi, who gathered near the party office, were not allowed to enter the AICC headquarters because traffic was held up and the road outside the party office was barricaded by police.
A group led by Delhi Congress leaders, including Alka Lamba, expressed support for Rahul Gandhi to lead the party and raised slogans in favor of him and Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi.
Rahul Gandhi had resigned as president of Congress after the party suffered its second consecutive defeat in the 2019 general election. Sonia Gandhi, who took back the reins of the party as interim president, had also offered to resign in August 2020. after fierce criticism from some of the leaders, called the G-23, but the COR had urged it to continue.
Earlier in the day, top congress leaders discussed the party’s strategy for the parliament’s upcoming budget session and decided to work with other like-minded parties to address issues of public interest.
The Congress Parliamentary Strategy Group meeting was held at the residence of party chairman Sonia Gandhi.
