Sonia Gandhi to step down as interim Congress president: Report

Sonia Gandhi will quit her post as the interim president of the Congress party, reported India Today. The report also claimed citing sources that the veteran leader sent a formal reply in which she has said that her stint as interim president for one year is complete and she would like to step down from the party president's post and that the party will have to choose a new president.

Also Read: Congress Working Committee to meet via video-conference on August 24 amid leadership debate

With the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting scheduled to be held on August 24, an internal dispute had emerged regarding "leadership" issues in the party. Gandhi’s decision comes as a response to the letter written by 23 senior leaders raising a 5-Point Agenda to revive the party, emphasising the need for active leadership.

However, party spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala refuted the claim that Sonia Gandhi is resigning from the post of Congress interim president.

"Reports of Sonia Gandhi resigning from the post of Congress interim president are false," Surjewala said while speaking to ANI.

Hours later, Assam Congress president Ripun Bora reiterated his demand to Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi to give the leadership of the party to Rahul Gandhi as Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scared only of him.

"In an earlier video conference with Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Rajya Sabha MPs, I categorically appealed to Sonia Gandhi at this moment to give the leadership of Congress party to Rahul Gandhi as Narendra Modi is scared only of Rahul Gandhi," Assam Congress president Ripun Bora told ANI.

Karnataka unit chief DK Shivakumar also backed Gandhi and said that the entire party stood by her and the Gandhi family.

"The entire Congress party in Karnataka stands by the leadership of Smt Sonia Gandhi and the Gandhi family. Mrs Gandhi has led Congress during times of crisis and saved our party. Anything that has to be discussed must be done so in the party forum and not in the media," Shivakumar said on August 23.

He also urged party leaders to raise issues in the party forum rather than in the media.

With inputs from ANI