CWC Meet ‘Just Formality’, Sonia Gandhi Been Boss For 21 Yrs: Natwar Singh Cautions Congress

“There was no vacancy for the party president. Sonia Gandhi is the all-time boss of the Congress party. She holds all the reins in the party for 21 years,” he added.

Natwar Singh | Sonia Gandhi (File Photo)

New Delhi: Asserting the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting was just a formality as Sonia Gandhi has been the party’s boss for 21 years, former external affairs minister Natwar Singh on Sunday said there was no concrete outcome from the same.

The Congress veteran said the next election for the party president will be on September 2022.

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“There was no vacancy for the party president. Sonia Gandhi is the all-time boss of the Congress party. She holds all the reins in the party for 21 years,” he added.

Singh also took a jibe at the G-23 (group of 23 dissenting senior Congress leaders).

“There was no concrete outcome from the CWC meeting. G-23 members, who made a lot of noise before the meeting, were quiet during the meeting,” he told ANI in an exclusive conversation.

Responding to a poser on whether the CWC meeting was called to unite the party leaders ahead of the upcoming assembly polls in several states next year, the former external affairs minister said the Congress should work together otherwise it will lag behind the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in politics.

“And if this continues, it will be left behind,” he added.

The Congress veteran said the manner in which the party has performed on the ground in the previous elections, it will not register its victory in more than one state in the upcoming assembly polls.

“I don’t think Congress party will register its victory in more than one state because it does not have an organization…but it is also true that there is no other party other than Congress which can play the role of opposition,” he said.

Earlier on Saturday, Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi hit out at the G23 leaders, who have questioned the party’s functioning and recent decisions.

“I have always appreciated frankness. There is no need to speak to me through the media,” Gandhi said addressing the CWC meeting.

“I am, if you will allow me to say so, a full-time and hands-on Congress president,” she added.

Gandhi also emphasized that each member wants a revival of the Congress, but that requires unity and keeping the party’s interests paramount.