No Major Changes Till Congress President Election Is Held: Sonia Gandhi To G23 Leaders

Gandhi told the leaders from the dissident faction that no major changes in the organisation could be possible until the election for party president in August-September this year.

Congress Interim President Sonia Gandhi (Getty Images)

New Delhi: The Congress debacle in the five states lead to an increasing demand within the party asking for a leadership change. The G23 leaders also stepped up demands for organizational changes but the Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi has told the party that there will be no changes till the party elections are held. 

Gandhi told the leaders from the dissident faction that no major changes in the organisation could be possible until the election for the post of party’s president is held in August-September this year, according to a report by ANI, 

Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday afternoon met G23 leaders Anand Sharma, Manish Tewari, and Vivek Tankha at her residence in New Delhi as part of her efforts to resolve the deepening rift within the party after the poll rout of Congress in fives states in the recently concluded Assembly elections. Reiterating their demands, the three Congress leaders in the meeting pointed out a lack of collective leadership in the decision-making process.

In the meeting, the G-23 leaders pressed for organizational changes but Sonia Gandhi has said the requisite measures will be taken after the August-September elections for party president. 

“By August-September, the election for party’s president will be over. Focus on that. I can make changes only to a certain extent by then", the ANI report quoted Sonia Gandhi mentioning sources. 

The report further said that during the meeting, neither the Gandhi family nor the G-23 leaders mentioned Kapil Sibal, who had questioned the party’s leadership.

The G23 members have been raising the issue of a few leaders in the party taking every decision while their accountability is not being fixed.

The three Congress leaders told Sonia Gandhi that the general secretaries are making decisions in the name of Rahul Gandhi while accusing them of the poll rout.

“Who will take responsibility for the consequences of decisions being taken by a few in the party? The party cannot be handed over to a few people. Sonia Gandhi said that she will consider the issues raised by the party leaders in the meeting.

The G23 leaders are also demanding “collective and inclusive” leadership. The ire of the G23 members in the Congress is seen aimed at party leaders Randeep Surjewala, Ajay Maken and KC Venugopal, the general secretaries of Congress, said sources.

According to ANI sources, Gandhi’s meeting with more G23 leaders is an attempt to bridge the gap between the disgruntled bloc and the Congress leadership.