Amid a huge controversy over a letter by scores of top Congress party leaders urging for sweeping reforms in the grand old party, interim Congress president Sonia Gandhi has asked to be relieved as party president and has asked the party to start looking for a replacement.
At the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting in New Delhi on Monday, August 24, Sonia Gandhi informed the CWC that she does not wish to continue as interim Congress president and she has decided to step aside.
The Congress chief's decision was read out at the CWC meet today after an explosive letter written by over 20 senior leaders called for "a full-time, effective, visible leadership", even as the chorus to bring back Rahul Gandhi as chief has gained momentum in some quarters.
An imminent change in leadership
Congress workers are demanding an imminent change in leadership at this juncture, and tweets and letters flying all over the place since last evening have shown a bend towards Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to be brought back to the hot seat.
Without any further delay, multiple party leaders have openly demanded to bring back Rahul Gandhi as the party chief.
The party though said only the CWC, which is the highest decision-making body in the Congress, will discuss and decide on the issue.
Rajya Sabha MP PL Punia said: "We want Rahul Gandhi to take over, which was also raised by the group wishing for his comeback as the Congress chief."
Sanjay Jha, sacked as Congress spokesperson recently said: "Around 300 Congress leaders from all over the country, representing all regions and states, are signatories to the letter, over and above the names of 23 senior leaders already in the public domain. Their names remain undisclosed as it will distract from the core message of the letter itself."
Earlier, Congress had denied the existence of such a letter but now it has surfaced with signatures of over 20 leaders.
(With agency inputs)
