Thrashing for answers in a sea of crises, AICC leaders today clutched at every Congressman’s last straw, resignation, with most of them ‘‘voluntarily’’ quitting their posts in the Congress Working Committee.However, this time the party high command was not pleased as they had expected. Rather, late in the night, Sonia Gandhi rejected the resignations, indicating that she wouldn’t be hurried into a reshuffle and that even the resignations, if any, should be on her terms.Quitting as general secretaries of various states, the AICC leaders had painstakingly explained that their decision was in line with the ‘‘convention’’ to give a ‘‘free hand’’ to the party president to effect a reshuffle. Following the massive setback the party suffered in the recent elections, Sonia had hinted at a revamp and also revealed her plans to set up a Team 2004 for the Lok Sabha elections.However, in a clear snub to today’s resignations, Sonia said these were ‘‘not accepted’’ and all the general secretaries must continue working in their present positions. According to sources, she further made it clear that restructuring would take place and that whenever it did, ‘‘you would be informed’’.As the leaders who led the resignation drive today handle states—Kerala, Punjab—where the Congress needs some firm steps to stay afloat, Sonia’s message also seems to be that they should first tackle the jobs at hand.According to sources, the main thrust of the reshuffle, when it comes, would be to move senior party leaders out of the AICC in Delhi and station them in states. Team 2004 would moreover have people who would work entirely in the organisation without seeking tickets for themselves or their kin. This may mean senior party leaders without ambitions for the Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha members, or those who do not fall in either category. Also, unlike till now, a general secretary would be given charge of only one state and a panel of senior leaders would centrally monitor the affairs of the state.Interestingly, sources say while leaders projected today’s resignations as voluntary, these were apparently prompted by a few leaders, with others forced to hastily follow suit.Apart from Ambika Soni—who had earlier resigned soon after the election debacle in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh (the states she was handling) on December 4—the political advisor to Sonia, Ahmed Patel, and general secretary Kamal Nath also put in their papers as AICC office-bearers. While Patel is in-charge of Kerala, where the K. Karunakaran-A.K. Antony tussle continues, Kamal Nath is in-charge of Tamil Nadu, where the informal dialogue with the DMK is poised at a crucial stage. Later in the day, Mohsina Kidwai, general secretary of the politically troubled state Punjab, also resigned from her post.
