Leadership crisis: CWC meet after Parliament session, Congress may buy time

Sources said veteran leader Ghulam Nabi Azad and AICC in-charge of Jharkhand R P N Singh told the meeting that the CWC should be convened soon to address the situation triggered by Rahul’s resignation. AICC treasurer Ahmed Patel told the gathering that the Committee would meet after the Parliament session comes to an end, taking into account the availability of Rahul and Sonia Gandhi.

After the meeting, a top leader said there could be two-three scenarios — the CWC could either appoint a provisional president, task a group of leaders with the job of finding a new president, or it could announce a timeline for holding of elections for the post of Congress president.

AICC communication department in-charge Randeep Surjewala said the date for the CWC meeting has not been finalised yet, but asserted that Rahul would attend the meeting since he is an integral part of the Working Committee. On May 28, three days after the results of the Lok Sabha polls, Rahul had conveyed to the Committee his decision to step down taking responsibility for the party’s rout. He made his decision public a month later. But even after two months, the Congress has not been able to appoint his successor or put in place an alternative arrangement.

While a section of leaders want Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to take over, leaders close to the Nehru-Gandhi family claim she is not interested. Many senior leaders, however, believe Priyanka would eventually take over as the Congress president. They say the argument that she is not interested in the top job is largely because the timing now is not right.