Sonia may appoint vice-presidents, panel to assist her

Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi may have a small committee to assist party her and also appoint vice-presidents, party sources said.

Sonia Gandhi was on Monday requested by the Congress Working Committee (CWC) to continue to lead the party till a session of All India Congress Committee is held.

The sources said some leaders may be attached to her to decrease her workload.

With the CWC meeting held in the backdrop of the letter of 20 party leaders to Sonia Gandhi which raised some heckles, several leaders expressed their views in the meeting lasted for over seven hours.

The letter spoke about the need of sweeping reforms including 'full time' active leadership, referred to need of institutional collective leadership to guide the party's revival and sought elections to CWC.

Party leader Ahmed Patel is learnt to have asked Anand Sharma, who is a signatory to the letter, about the mention of collective leadership in the letter and its implications.

He is also learnt to have said that Sharma was an expert in drafting and asked if he had read the letter before signing it.

Sources said party leader Rahul Gandhi said that the letter was leaked to media, which he alleged was 'in the grip of BJP'.

Mukul Wasnik is learnt to have said that he owes his position to Sonia Gandhi and he signed the letter keeping in mind the best interests of the party and raised issues with a clean heart.

Former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda is learnt to have told the committee that everyone should be heard in the party.

Rajiv Satav is learnt to have taken potshots at some leaders who had taken written the letter.

Sonia Gandhi said at the meeting that she did not have ill-will against anyone.

The CWC on Monday again unanimously requested Sonia Gandhi 'to continue to lead the Indian National Congress' until such time as circumstances will permit an All India Congress Committee session to be convened.

The crucial meeting of CWC, the party's highest decision-making body, adopted a resolution which authorised Sonia Gandhi to affect necessary organisational changes that she may deem appropriate to take on the challenges faced by the party.

Apart from hailing the leadership of Sonia Gandhi, the CWC also lauded the role of party leader Rahul Gandhi, saying he has resolutely led the fight against the BJP-led government from the front.

The resolution said CWC makes it clear that no one will be or can be permitted to undermine or weaken the party and its leadership at this juncture.

It said the responsibility of every Congress worker and leader today is to fight the pernicious assault on India's democracy, pluralism and diversity by the Modi government.

The resolution said inner-party issues cannot be deliberated through the media or in public for and urged and advises all concerned to raise such issues only in party fora in the interest of propriety and discipline.

Sonia Gandhi was appointed as an interim president on August 10, 2019, by the CWC after Rahul Gandhi stepped down as party chief taking the responsibility for the party's dismal performance in 2019 Lok Sabha elections.