It is also a clear message to G-23 leaders seeking internal reforms that he is still the boss.
Sonia Gandhi’s claim of being a “full-time, pragmatic” Congress president was, perhaps, aimed at achieving two immediate objectives. First, it was a clear message to the Group of 23 (G-23) leaders – the group that is seeking internal improvement And a “visible and effective leadership” – that he still owns.
Second, and more importantly, it was intended to endorse some of the recent decisions taken by the party, which had clear imprints of Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.
Be it the promotion of Navjot Singh Sidhu as Punjab Congress chief or the ouster of Amarinder Singh as the Chief Minister of Punjab or the induction of former JNU students union president Kanhaiya Kumar, several decisions, which Gandhi Bhai- Supposedly run by sisters, have come under scrutiny.
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open challenge
“There is no president in our party at present. So, we don’t know who is taking these decisions” – senior G-23 leader Kapil Sibal’s remarks at a press conference posed an open challenge to the Gandhi family.
Ms. Gandhi’s scathing rebuttal at the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting on 16 October appears to have had the desired effect.
Within the CWC, G-23 leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad and Anand Sharma reaffirmed their faith in his leadership and were satisfied with the concession to hold organizational elections (a key G-23 demand); At a press conference outside, General Secretary (Organisation) KC Venugopal took a dig at journalists who asked in what capacity Mr. Gandhi was trying to solve the leadership crisis in Congress-ruled Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Punjab.
“We will take a decision as per the interests of our party. The entire Congress, its rank and file, supports Shri Rahul Gandhi for his commitment and dedication to fight on principles. I want to tell you one more thing. Every single decision of the party is taken by Hon’ble Congress President Smt. Sonia Gandhi. He is capable, capable and no one can question his leadership.”
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Ms. Gandhi’s statement at the CWC sought to formalize the informal arrangement: Mr. Gandhi would be central to the decision-making of whether he held a formal position.
In fact, on Saturday evening Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, who was delaying the expansion of his cabinet to accommodate the supporters of his arch rival Sachin Pilot, met Mr. Gandhi to discuss the issue.
Earlier on Thursday, Sidhu had met Mr Gandhi to sort out his differences with Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi.
At the same time, in Chhattisgarh, the former Congress president is already playing the role of umpire in his leadership tussle between Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and Health Minister TS Singh Deo.
final height
But by deciding to elect a new party chief only by September 20 next year, beyond the immediate context, the Congress and Ms. Gandhi are preparing the ground for Mr. Gandhi’s eventual elevation ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
In the next 11 months, Mr. Gandhi will have enough time and space to steer the party in the direction he feels is best suited to counter the Narendra Modi government.
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