Anti-climax at CWC as members elect Sonia Gandhi as interim president

“Rahul Gandhi led the party with unbounded drive, fierce determination and dedication. He campaigned in the assembly and national elections with indefatigable energy. He a new sense of aggression and modernity to the party
organization and opened up numerous opportunities to the younger generation,” added Surjewala.

The CWC in its resolution also expressed serious concerns over the situation in J&K including reports of the clampdown, news blackouts, arrests & detentions of Indian political leadership of Jammu and Kashmir. The Committee called upon the government to act in a transparent fashion and permit a delegation of opposition parties in the region.

Also read | Congress party and its presidents: Past and present

Briefing the media, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said, “I was called by the Working Committee just now because between the work that they were doing, to choose the next Congress president, some reports have come, that things in Jammu & Kashmir are going very wrong. There are reports of violence.”

“There are reports of violence, so we stopped our deliberation and we had our presentation on what was going in Jammu and Kashmir. It is important that Prime Minister makes it clear what is happening in Union territory of Jammu&Kashmir, and Ladakh,” he added.

Earlier in the day, Rahul and Sonia Gandhi said they would not take part in the process of nominating the next party chief. At a meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC) at the AICC headquarters in New Delhi today, the leaders said they could not be part of the consultations as they have served as heads of the party in the past.

During the CWC meeting, it was also decided that Congress chief ministers, state presidents and party office bearers would be consulted before a new president was chosen. The CWC was divided into five groups of leaders, each representing a different region — North East, North, South, East and West — to hold deliberations on the selection of the Congress chief.

Congress leader and party spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala, speaking to reporters, said Rahul’s resignation as Congress chief was still under consideration, and that the CWC would likely take a decision on it this evening.

On the eve of the meeting, Rahul had asked that all regional leaders be included in the process of picking his successor. The move is seen as an attempt to ensure that the well-entrenched and powerful Delhi CWC clique does not manage to push a name of their choice. Rahul, sources told The Indian Express, indulged in “plain speaking”, and said “leaders can slide away” but the party will not compromise on principles.

Rahul resigned as president of the party on May 25, after the Congress suffered a massive defeat in the Lok Sabha elections. Taking responsibility for the party’s loss, Rahul said “accountability” was critical for the future growth of the party. The party has been without a chief since then.

From the homepage

‘I’ve had conversations with lawyers…’: Omar says he is considering becoming a party to JK statehood case in SC

Every inch of Pakistan’s territory now within BrahMos reach: Rajnath Singh

Himanta’s BJP gets a new ally, churning Assam’s political landscape months ahead of Assembly polls