Also Read | Congress Leadership Crisis: Sonia Gandhi Likely To Step Down As Party's Interim President On Monday After Letter Row
The letter written by 23 party leaders including former chief ministers and sitting MPs has upped the ante within the party and has thrown open a possibility of a Congress party without any Nehru-Gandhi family member as the president. After the letter, sources claimed that Sonia signalled she is “not willing” to continue as interim Congress president and Rahul Gandhi has already said he will not take up the post. All eyes will be on Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi at the CWC meet, which will decide whether or not the grand old party break the dynasty politics streak?
Chorus in support of Rahul and Sonia
Several Congress leaders on Sunday threw their weight behind the Gandhi family amidst a growing tumult. After 23 party leaders wrote to Sonia Gandhi seeking revamp of major bodies, sources close to her said she might offer to step down in the CWC and ask the party to look for a full-time president. AICC media chief Randeep Surjewala, however, denied it.
In the letter written by 23 senior Congress leaders, fare reaching suggestions have been made such as having a "full time" leadership that is active in the field and "visible" in party offices, dissolution of powers to state units and revamping the CWC in line with the party constitution.
As the news of the letter spread, several leaders, including many MPs, wrote to Sonia Gandhi, either calling for her to continue or urging Rahul Gandhi to take charge.
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy, Congress leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and former ministers Ashwani Kumar, Salman Khurshid and KK Tewary, among others, backed the Gandhis.
Opposing the bid to challenge the Gandhi family leadership, Amarinder Singh said this was not the time to raise such an issue. "The move by these Congress leaders to demand a rehaul of the party at this critical juncture would be detrimental to its interests, and the interests of the nation," he said in a statement.
Congress leader Sachin Pilot, who recently rebelled against Gehlot and later called off his rebellion against the state government after the intervention of Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, said, "Mrs Gandhi and Rahul ji have shown what it means to sacrifice for the greater good of the people and the party."
"It's now time to build consensus and consolidate. Our future is stronger when we're united. Most Congress workers would like to see Rahul ji take over and lead the party," he said.
Congress to find a new party chief as Sonia Gandhi mulls over resignation?