The Congress is scrambling to defuse the crisis triggered by party president Rahul Gandhi's insistence on resigning from his post. Senior party leaders have tried to persuade Gandhi to not give up his position, but in vain, said sources.
Congress veteran Ahmed Patel had a brief meeting with Gandhi at the latter's residence on Monday. Sources said Patel was nudged by Sonia Gandhi to placate her son, who has taken the responsibility for Congress's decimation in the Lok Sabha polls. Of the 542 seats, the party won 52 as against BJP's tally of 303.
With speculations swirling over the Congress president, Patel tried to play down the meeting, terming it a routine visit.
"I had sought time before the CWC to meet the Congress president to discuss routine administrative work. The meeting today was in that context. All other speculation is incorrect and baseless," he tweeted.
Party insiders said another meeting of the Congress Working Committee, its top decision-making body, may be called soon.
Sources said Rahul Gandhi was not at all amenable to the suggestion that a number of working presidents be appointed under him. DNA has learnt that after the CWC meeting on May 25, Gandhi personally called his staff and told them of his decision to quit from the post.
The situation has also put the Congress rank and hierarchy in a spot. Party spokesperson Randeep Surjewala tweeted to reiterate the CWC's stand of authorising Gandhi to start radical changes and go for a complete organisational overhaul of the party.
Sources said Gandhi feels that he has done enough and it is time a non-Gandhi took over the reins of the party, while his mother Sonia and sister Priyanka Vadra are vehemently opposed to the decision. Ahmed Patel apart, Sonia had also roped in Congress Organisation general secretary KC Venugopal to speak to Gandhi on Monday. He too was unsuccessful.
The party is also worried that it cannot continue to be in a limbo and that a decision must be arrived at quickly. This is not the first time Gandhi has put the Congress in a spot of bother. Post the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, before he was announced as the President, Gandhi had gone abroad for more than month. Sources at that time had confirmed that the reason was that he wanted a free hand in reshaping the Congress.
On the other hand, sources said, there is genuine grouse in the party against the staff of Gandhi, particularly Sandeep Singh, who writes speeches for both the Gandhis. His presence at the May 25 CWC meeting had raised many eyebrows.
Seniors Fail
- Senior Congress leaders Ahmed Patel and KC Venugopal spoke to Rahul Gandhi on Monday
- However, they could not persuade him not to give up his position. This has put the party in a spot
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