Congress Working Committee meeting LIVE updates: The crucial Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting has begun. In her opening remarks at the meeting, called in the wake of a section of leaders seeking a "full time and visible" Congress president, Sonia Gandhi made the offer to quit saying she had given a detailed reply on the issue to AICC general secretary KC Venugopal. Top Congress leaders are deliberating on the leadership issues during this virtual meeting of the party's top decision-making body. This comes after 23 senior leaders wrote to Sonia Gandhi seeking a revamp of major bodies. Catch the latest updates here:
I never say all is well. Have waves of the sea ever fallen silent, there will always be waves in sea. There will always be some discontent. Today we have addressed some issues. I think going forward the party will become stronger and more active.It has been clarified, nobody made that statement. Nobody alleged that anyone was colluding with BJP.
Goa Congress on Monday welcomed the party working committee's (CWC) resolution urging Sonia Gandhi to continue as its interim chief till an AICC session can be convened.
"The Goa Congress welcomes the CWC's decision urging Sonia Gandhi to continue leading the party as she has the capacity to take along everyone and guide the party," Goa Pradesh Congress Committee chief Girish Chodankar said in a statement.
He stated that the party should collectively support Rahul Gandhi "who is fighting single-handedly against the mismanagement of economy, COVID-19 and attack on the democracy"
Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh today welcomed the unanimous resolution passed by Congress Working Committee (CWC), asking Sonia Gandhi to continue as party president till the next AICC session andauthorising her to take whatever decisions needed.
As a leadership crisis grips the Congress, experts having chronicled the country's oldest political party said on Monday that it may be theoretically possible for the party to have a president outside the Nehru-Gandhi family, but not practically.
The party's history shows that it has had at least 13 presidents from outside the Nehru-Gandhi clan since independence as against five from its first family.
However, the family members have been at the helm for a much longer period of time as against the others.
Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi have headed the party for the majority of the period since independence.
The CWC notes that internal party issues cannot be deliberated through the media or public fora. CWC urges and advises all concerned to raise such issues only in party fora.
Sonia Gandhi has also been authorised to make organisational changes within the party to "take on the challenges" listed in the party's statement, the party's leaders said during the breifing.
Voices of Sonia and Rahul Gandhi have inspired generations. CWC unanimously requests Sonia Gandhi to continue to lead Congress party.
Rahul Gandhi has resolutely led the fight against the government from the front. CWC resolved to strengthen the hands of Rahul and Sonia Gandhi. The responsibility of every Congress worker and leader today is to fight the assaulton democracy and pluralism by Narendra Modi government.
Today we had a seven-hour long meeting. All the participants spoke and participated in the deliberations. CWChas extensively deliberated on the letters and places on record the following: Last 6 months have seen multiple crisis, including coronavirus pandemic and downward spiraling economy.
>> Around 20 senior Congress leaders write to Sonia Gandhi seeking "sweeping changes" within the party.
>> Sonia Gandhi offers to quit in order to initiate process of selecting a new party chief.
>> Rahul Gandhi questions the timing of the letter, reportedly sent when Sonia Gandhi was in a hospital and under medication. He also reportedly said that the letter was written in cahoots with the BJP to benefit the latter.
>>After hours of deliberation during the CWC meeting, it was decided that Sonia Gandhi will continue to remain the interim party chief.
>>A panel willalso beformed to help Sonia Gandhi in her day-to-day functioning. An All India Congress Committee (AICC) session will be called within six months.
There is freedom to express views but discussion should be held on party forum, not in public domain, members expressed concerns over it. Sonia Gandhi ji said everyone is family andhas to strengthen party together.
The Congress Working Committee briefing, which was scheduled for 6:45 pm, will be addressed by KC Venugopal and Randeep Singh Surjewala. The briefing comes after over seven hours of deliberations between senior leaders of the party at the CWC meeting.
I welcome CWC's decision to request Madam Sonia Gandhi Ji to continue andher acceptance in this regard. She is the unifier of Congress Party andI am sure Congress will definitely rejuvenate under her Dynamic Leadership.
