Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday said he was “ready to work for the party as all desired” at a meeting with Congress “dissenters”, who had strongly called for an organisational overhaul in recent months, reported NDTV.
His statement rekindled speculation about the 50-year-old returning at the helm of affairs, as the party prepares to conduct internal elections so that a full-time president can take over from interim chief Sonia Gandhi.
Rahul Gandhi said that he was “willing to work for the party as all of you desire”, according to senior Congress leader Pawan Bansal, who was present at the meeting. Asked whether Gandhi’s comment signalled his return as chief, Bansal said: “No one has an issue with Rahul Gandhi.... The process of electing a Congress president is in the process.”
During the meeting, senior leaders like Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, and former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath, raised questions about the internal conflict between the veteran leadership and the younger political leaders of the party, according to The Hindu.
Gandhi responded by saying that he valued their contributions and acknowledged that many of them worked with his father, former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. At the same time, Gandhi reportedly stressed on the need to make space for younger leaders in the party, and the need to bridge the communication gap between the two camps.
He reportedly also questioned the Congress’ performance at the state level and told Nath that even when he was the chief minister, “Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh officers” were the ones steering Madhya Pradesh. When P Chidambaram talked about good prospects in the upcoming Assembly election in Tamil Nadu, Gandhi reportedly remarked that the Congress “was only an adjunct” to ally Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam at the booth level.
Gandhi added that it was not about him becoming the party president, but about rebuilding the institution and strengthening the party.
The five-hour meeting between Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and the “dissenters” at Sonia Gandhi’s residence marked the first move towards reconciliation after months of feuding and internal revolt. Kapil Sibal, one of the important leaders calling for an overhaul, however, was not present due to travel plans, according to The Hindu.
The dissidents reportedly remained adamant on their demand for elections for the post of Congress president, the Congress Working Committee and the parliamentary board. Some of the leaders outside the dissenting group, like Chidambaram, reportedly backed the demand.
The former finance minister also asked for a shift from the “general secretary approach” of running states. Instead, the state Congress chief should be empowered and booth level committees must be strengthened to help the Congress retain its voters as part of “free and frank discussions”, he and other leaders suggested.
“Discussions were held on a positive note at the meeting where leaders talked about how to strengthen the party at all levels,” Bansal said after the meeting, according to The Hindu. “Congress chief Sonia Gandhi said we all are one big family and we all should work to strengthen the party.”
Congress to hold ‘chintan shivir’
After the meeting, the Congress decided to to hold a chintan shivir, or a brainstorming conclave on the lines of the Shimla and Panchmarhi meetings to decide its future course of action. However, the session will be held only after the coronavirus situation improves, unidentified officials told The Hindu.
Congress leader Manish Tewari reportedly stressed on the need to prepare a blueprint for 2024 Lok Sabha elections with “effective leadership, robust organisation, ideological clarity and a counter narrative to the Bharatiya Janata Party”.
Key Rahul Gandhi appointee Ruchi Gupta quits Congress
Meanwhile, Ruchi Gupta, the joint secretary in-charge of the party’s students’ wing, National Students’ Union of India, quit the Congress on Saturday, citing “delays in organisational changes”, reported the Hindustan Times.
Gupta, who was appointed by Rahul Gandhi for the post, blamed party leader KC Venugopal for her decision. She said that Venugopal was responsible for continuous delays in organisational changes.
“Thank you all for your hard work, especially in these difficult times of the pandemic,” Gupta said in a statement. “I want to make sure that your hard work is not lost in the transition and will be sending a write-up on each of you to Rahul ji. My best wishes for all your future endeavours.”
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!