NEW DELHI: Sonia Gandhi will continue to lead the Indian national Congress as “interim” president, following a seven-hour meeting of its top leaders in New Delhi. She had earlier expressed her intent to step down.
“The Congress Working Committee (CWC) unanimously requests Sonia Gandhi to continue to lead the Indian National Congress until such time as circumstances will permit an All India Congress Committee session to be convened,” the party tweeted on Monday.
During the Congress meeting, Gandhi had asked the party to “relieve her from the duty of party president” and look for a replacement. Her offer to quit came after almost two dozen Congress leaders called for better decision-making in the party.
Two party sources said signatories to the letter expected the Gandhi family to either play a proactive role or step down. Toward the end of Monday’s meeting, Sonia Gandhi’s offer to resign was rejected by the CWC, which wanted Gandhi and her son, Rahul, to remain in control.
“The CWC, reflecting the overwhelming view and desire of the rank and file of the Congress, unanimously resolved to strengthen the hands of Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in every possible way,” KC Venugopal, a Congress legislator, told a news conference.
It was not clear whether an election would take place but Congress politicians hope to persuade Rahul Gandhi to take up the post, even though the 50-year-leader has appeared reluctant on returning as party chief. In her closing remarks, Sonia Gandhi is reported to have asked the party to “move on” and that she held “no ill will” toward the leaders who had signed the letter of dissent.
“We are a large family, we have differences on many occasions but in the end, we come together as one. The need of the hour is to fight for the cause of the people and forces that are failing this country,” she told her party, according to a news briefing addressed by a Congress spokesman.