There was a ruckus outside Congress office during the CWC meeting, slogans raised regarding Rahul-Priyanka; to make Rahul the party president.
A crucial Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting was held after the poll loss in 5 states in Delhi. Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, Ambika Soni, Salman Khurshid, Ajay Maken, Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi, P Chidambaram, Ashok Gehlot, other leaders were present. Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was not present as he was unwell.
The meeting was intense and brainstorming and the reasons for the defeat were discussed and the new strategies were discussed. In all this, there was a demand to make Rahul Gandhi the party president. Outside the party office, emotional Congress workers also raised slogans for making Rahul Gandhi the president.
காங்கிரஸ் கட்சியின் CWC கூட்டம் நடைபெறும் அலுவலகம் முன்பு,
"தலைவா
தலைமை பொறுப்பேற்க வா" @RahulGandhiஎன்று முழக்கமிடும் காங்கிரஸ் தொண்டர்கள்.#எங்கள்தலைவர்ராகுல்காந்தி https://t.co/BdQDd9YKml
— Dr. JayanThiyagarajan PhD (@DrJayanThiyagu) March 13, 2022
Ahead of a crucial Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said, “Rahul Gandhi should become the party president. For the last 3 decades, nobody from the Gandhi family became a PM or a minister. It is significant to understand that the Gandhi family is important for Congress’ unity:” Rajasthan CM & Congress leader Ashok Gehlot
Yesterday, a false rumor was blown up about the Gandhi family in a section of the media that the Gandhi family may offer to resign from the party posts. However, Congress officially denied the news and termed it as “false and mischievous”.
Randeep Singh Surjewala spokesperson for Congress said, “The news story of alleged resignations being carried on NDTV based on unnamed sources is completely unfair, mischievous and incorrect.
It is unfair for a TV channel to carry such unsubstantiated propaganda stories emanating from imaginary sources at the instance of ruling BJP.”
The news story of alleged resignations being carried on NDTV based on unnamed sources is completely unfair, mischievous and incorrect.
It is unfair for a TV channel to carry such unsubstantiated propaganda stories emanating from imaginary sources at the instance of ruling BJP.
— Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) March 12, 2022
The CWC meeting is being held at a time when Congress lost power in Punjab and also faced humiliating defeats in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa, and Manipur. Sonia Gandhi has not been campaigning actively for some time, apart from Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Rahul Gandhi has been a star campaigner of Congress. Also, the brother-sister pair hold a major role in the important decisions of the party.
After the defeat, many leaders of the ‘G23’ group had a meeting
After the huge humiliating defeat of the Congress in these assembly elections, several leaders of the party’s ‘G23’ group held a meeting on Friday, in which the strategy ahead was discussed. Kapil Sibal, Anand Sharma, and Manish Tewari attended the meeting held at the residence of former Rajya Sabha Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad.
‘G23’ leaders obstinate on old demands of reformation in the party
Sources say that the leaders of ‘G23’ included in the Congress Working Committee may raise the issue of electoral defeat in the CWC meeting and their old demand for necessary changes in the party organization and ensuring accountability. Prominent members of the ‘G23’ group are Ghulam Nabi Azad and Anand Sharma in the Congress Working Committee.
In the past, when, Sonia Gandhi had offered to quit, it was rejected by the CWC while the rebel group within the party wants a change in the leadership and reforms within the setup. In 2019 Sonia Gandhi’s son Rahul Gandhi who was party president then had quit and Sonia Gandhi took over in August 2019.
If Sonia and Rahul Gandhi quit, the CWC members who are loyal to the Gandhis may offer to quit. It is anticipated if this happens, Congress would have to choose a new leader and sources say that the party may have to continue with the interim President and the majority of the CWC members may suggest Priyanka Gandhi’s name. The meeting comes in the wake of the G23 leaders putting pressure on the party to advance the internal polls and had met at Ghulam Nabi Azad’s residence.
The Congress parliamentary strategy group decided to work in coordination with other like-minded parties to raise issues of public importance
Top Congress leaders on March 13 discussed the party’s strategy for the upcoming Budget session of Parliament and decided to work in coordination with other like-minded parties to raise issues of public importance.
The meeting of the Congress Parliamentary strategy group was held at the residence of party President Sonia Gandhi.
Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh also did not attend the meeting owing to ill health.
Congress Working Committee meeting begins. The meeting is being chaired by party's interim president Sonia Gandhi pic.twitter.com/czj37hmjKX
— ANI (@ANI) March 13, 2022
“We discussed issues to be raised during the session starting Monday. We will work in coordination with other like-minded parties to raise issues of public importance during the session,” Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge told reporters after the meeting.
“Among various issues to be raised during the session include evacuation and safety of Indian students in Ukraine, inflation, unemployment, labor matters, MSP for farmers as promised by the government. We discussed all these issues in the meeting,” he also said.
Among others who also attended the meeting include Anand Sharma, Jairam Ramesh, K. Suresh, Manickam Tagore, and Manish Tewari.
Senior Congress leader A.K. Antony and Congress leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury were also not present at the meeting.
The meeting of the Congress parliamentary strategy group is held before every session of Parliament.
The second part of the Budget session starts on Monday and will continue till April 8.
While BJP keeps crying for Congres Mukth Bharat, senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor shared an interesting post on Twitter writing, “This is why @incindia
remains by far the most credible of the national opposition parties. It’s also why it’s worth reforming & reviving.”
This is why @incindia remains by far the most credible of the national opposition parties. It’s also why it’s worth reforming & reviving. pic.twitter.com/cayCaCHjvd
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) March 13, 2022