As differences have emerged within the Congress after the CWC meet, senior party leader Kapil Sibal is expected to host a dinner for in-party dissenters, called the Group of 23 leaders (G-23), on Wednesday to push the high-command for internal reforms after the disastrous performance of the grand old party in five state assembly elections recently.
There is simmering tension within the Congress after the poll debacle and the G-23 leaders are clearly miffed with the style of functioning of the party leadership.
After the announcement of poll results, Congress’ G-23 leaders had met at senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad’s residence in Delhi and the meeting was attended by Sibal, Manish Tewari, Anand Sharma, and Akhilesh Prasad Singh while some other leaders joined virtually.
VOICES OF DISSENT WITHIN CONGRESS
Earlier in the day, the most prominent among the G23 leaders, Sibal, said that Gandhis should step aside and give some other leader a chance to lead the party. “Leadership is in cuckoo land I want a ‘Sab ki Congress’. Some want a ‘Ghar ki Congress’,” Sibal told the Indian Express in an interview.
The remarks came after the party’s highest decision-making body Congress Working Committee (CWC) met on Sunday, and after almost five hours of deliberations urged Sonia Gandhi to continue to lead and initiate changes required to strengthen the party.
Since the poll debacle of 2014, the Congress has lost elections continuously except on a few occasions, he said, and added that “the CWC has reposed faith in the party leadership but those outside the CWC feel otherwise as many have left the party and new leaders should be given a chance to lead the party”.
Sibal is one of the signatories of the letter written to Sonia Gandhi for bringing reforms within the party.
Another Congress leader and member of the G23 faction Sandeep Dikshit has also launched a scathing attack at the Congress high-command and stated that senior leadership continues to be arrogant despite repeated losses in elections.
Dikshit claimed that the party was completely “inactive”. “The party is completely inactive. No decisions are taken. While the leadership is arrogant the coterie is not affected despite losing one election after the other,” Dikshit said.
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Dikshit also alleged that these leaders continue to attack their own Chief Minister and leaders. “Most of these leaders are holding posts on compassionate grounds and are only bothered about own positions,” he alleged.
“Kapil Sibal is right for raising the issue as these leaders could garner votes at one point in time. But now the party is not serious. Who is responsible for this debacle?” he asked.
WHAT HAPPENED IN THE CWC MEET
On Sunday, the CWC meeting was held to introspect the Congress’s crushing defeat in five states – Uttar Pradesh, Goa, Uttarakhand, Punjab and Manipur.
The CWC reposed faith in interim party chief Sonia Gandhi after its marathon meeting to discuss the outcome of the assembly polls. She was also authorised to undertake “necessary and comprehensive” organisational changes. “The CWC unanimously reaffirms its faith in the leadership of Sonia Gandhi and requests the Congress President to lead from the front, address the organisational weaknesses, effect necessary and comprehensive organisational changes in order to take on the political challenges,” it said.
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One of the demands made at the meeting was more accessibility of Congress leaders, especially Rahul Gandhi, which has been one of the major complaints of party members. Another demand raised by Azad was fixing responsibilities. Azad, however, also made it clear that neither he nor any of the dissenting G-23 members are against the Gandhis.
According to sources, Sonia Gandhi, while addressing the meeting, said Gandhis are ready to step down and take responsibility for the election defeat. “I am often told that some of you feel we three are responsible for the state of affairs. If that is how you feel, then we three (Sonia Gandhi, Rahul and Priyanka) are willing to sacrifice and step down,” she was quoted by sources as saying at the meeting.
The party again plans to meet in April to discuss the future course of action.
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