HIGHLIGHTS: Congress appoints Sonia Gandhi Congress interim chief; CWC passes resolution on J&K

CWC Meeting 2019 Today Highlights: Sonia Gandhi was appointed as interim president after a marathon meeting on Satuday. Earlier, the names of Mukul Wasnik and Mallikarjun Kharge - both Dalit leaders - were doing the rounds for the post. This is for the second time that Sonia Gandhi will lead the party.

By: Express Web Desk
New Delhi | August 10, 2019 10:08 AM IST

CWC meeting LIVE UPDATES: Sonia Gandhi was named as Congress interim chief after a marathon CWC meet on Saturday.

CWC Meeting Highlights: The Congress party failed to reach a consensus on a non-Gandhi president and banked on Sonia Gandhi to lead the party which has hit its lowest ebb. After a day-long marathon meeting of the Congress Working Committee, Sonia Gandhi was appointed as interim president, indicating that the party could not look beyond the Gandhi family. Rahul Gandhi had resigned as president after the Lok Sabha election in May. Earlier, the names of Mukul Wasnik and Mallikarjun Kharge – both Dalit leaders – were doing the rounds for the post.

Soon after the CWC meet got over today, the party held a press briefing in which party spokesperson Randeep Surjewala and AICC general secretary KC Venugopal spoke on resolutions taken in the CWC meeting. Congress also expressed concerns over the prevailing situation in Jammu and Kashmir following the abrogation of Article 370. Former party chief Rahul Gandhi spoke to media after the meeting today and urged the government to lift the “veil of secrecy” from the Valley.

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Earlier, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and former party president Rahul Gandhi refused to participate in the consultation process to zero in on the next party chief. After holding talks during the crucial meeting at the AICC headquarters in Delhi, Sonia said as former presidents of the party, the mother-son duo cannot participate in the process. “We cannot be part of this process,” Sonia Gandhi said after she recused herself from the deliberations.

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CWC meeting Highlights: Congress appoints Sonia Gandhi as party's interim president Saturday. Follow latest updates.

Rahul with Sonia Gandhi during the last Congress Working Committee meeting at AICC HQ in New Delhi. (PTI Photo)

CWC meeting live updates: Congress to pick new president

The CWC meeting Saturday will take place amid a clear divergence of views between young leaders and the party’s old guard. And perhaps for the first time since Rahul resigned, Sonia Gandhi’s opinion was sought Friday by the senior leadership. Rahul, sources said, indulged in some “plain speaking” at the meeting, making in known that “leaders can slide away” but the party will not compromise on principles. Hours earlier, former Congress chief whip in Rajya Sabha Bhubaneshwar Kalita joined the BJP.

Rahul asked leaders whether the Congress would have got more votes had it supported the Centre’s decision. He said this after many of those who attended the meeting spoke about public mood being in favour of scrapping Article 370 of the Constitution and argued that the party could lose votes.

Many leaders spoke about the uncertainty that has gripped the party and asked him to continue as Congress president. He refused but told them not to worry, arguing that the next Congress chief will be in place within the next few days after wider consultations.

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