Sonia Gandhi offers to quit as Congress interim chief

As expected, Sonia Gandhi asked the members of the Congress Working Committee (CWC) to start deliberations towards the process of relieving her from the role of interim chief amid divisions in the party over the leadership issue.

She expressed her wish to discontinue in the post at a crucial CWC meet which is conducting online on Monday. Sonia Gandhi made the offer to quit saying she had given a detailed reply on the issue to AICC general secretary K C Venugopal.

However, Manmohan Singh and A K Antony urged her to continue till a new party president is elected.

Sonia took over as interim chief on August 10, 2019, after Rahul stepped down taking responsibility for the party’s Lok Sabha debacle.

The meeting happens a day after the content of a letter written by 21 prominent Congress leader, seeking sweeping changes in the party leadership, was published in the media.

Rahul Gandhi was highly critical of the timing of the letter. He questioned why the letter over party leadership sent at a time when Sonia Gandhi was admitted to hospital. Rahul Gandhi also alleged that the dissenters are colluding with the BJP.

First public reaction to the comments by Rahul, Senior lawyer and MP Kapil Sibal tweeted: “Last 30 years have never made a statement in favour of BJP on any issue.”

The party is divided on the leadership matter with a section demanding collective leadership and another reposing faith in the Gandhi family.

The dissent letter was written by a group of senior party leaders, several party men including Punjab CM Capt Amarinder Singh, Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot and Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Bhagel, as well as several state Congress chiefs, rallied behind the Gandhis.